'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎359] (468/496)

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600,000 men could only create confusion on this occasion without any
necessity for such numbers; but the generality of interpreters, he
adds, acknowledge two bodies to be placed in ambuscade, both be
tween Bethel and Ai,~one of 25,000, the other of 5,000 men.
From these unsatisfactory attempts at reconciliation of the two passa
ges of Joshua, it is refreshing to turn to the words of scripture itself,
where it is distinctly stated that two parties were sent into ambush on
the west of the city between it and Bethel: the first party of 30,000
men was sent over night from Jericho—before the march of the main
body of the Israelites ; and the second of 5,000 men was detached from
the main body the following morning, after the arrival of the main body
before Ai. There is no mention of Joshua’s having withdrawn the
first party, or of his having detached the second party from the number
of the first party ; consequently we must infer that 35,000 men lay in
ambush on the west of the city between it and Bethel. TTo statement
in the chapters quoted can warrant any other conclusion. If a conjec
ture may be hazarded as to Joshua’s reason for detaching a second
party of 5,000 men from his main body, for the same duty as that
assigned to the detachment of 30,000 sent into ambush the preceding
night, it is this,—that the Israelitish General purposely weakened his
main body (ostensibly) in order to secure the success of his manoeuvre
by inducing the garrison of Ai, when they saw the weakness of the lorce
with Joshua drawn out against them, to sally forth from the city to the
attack, as they had successfully done before when Joshua had sent 3,000
men to take the city a short time previous. It is by no means clear
what number of men Joshua had with him on the 1ST. of the city, or out of
the 600,000 affirmed by Masius what number were bona fide fighting
men. But it is, I think, reasonable to suppose that Joshua sent by far
the greater portion of his army to be concealed in ambush ; while he,
with a small force, remained in the plain before the city, in order, as
before stated, to tempt the garrison of Ai to make their fatal sally. The
whole of the garrison amounted only to 12,000 souls, women included.
They were all put to the sword. (Joshua vii. 25.) This book
also affords us a clue to the average size and population of the cities of
Caanan in Joshua’s time. The royal city of Gibeon is styled “a great
city” “ greater than Ai.” And the then King of Jerusalem, Adonize-
dek, when he heard that Gibeon had sued for peace from Joshua, feared
greatly for his own city, “ because Gibeon was a great city. (Joshua,,
x. 1 & 2.)