וַיָּ֧קָם יְהֹושֻׁ֛עַ וְכָל־עַ֥ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לַעֲלֹ֣ות הָעָ֑י וַיִּבְחַ֣ר יְ֠הֹושֻׁעַ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ גִּבֹּורֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֖ם לָֽיְלָה׃
(Joshua 8:3)
And Joshua rose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose thirty thousand men, mighty men of valor, and he sent them by night.
Opening Wayyiqtol Chain: Coordinated Action
וַיָּ֧קָם… וְכָל־עַ֥ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לַעֲלֹ֣ות הָעָ֑י
“And Yehoshua rose up, and all the people of war, to go up to ʿAi…”
The narrative begins with a series of wayyiqtol verbs:
- וַיָּ֧קָם (and he arose)
- וַיִּבְחַ֣ר (and he chose)
- וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֖ם (and he sent them)
This verbal chaining gives the account its forward-moving momentum, a hallmark of biblical Hebrew storytelling.
The phrase כָּל־עַ֥ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה is a construct chain, “all the people of war,” designating a specific group within the nation.
Infinitive Purpose Clause
לַעֲלֹ֣ות הָעָ֑י
“To go up to ʿAi”
This is a lamed + infinitive construct indicating purpose—why Yehoshua rose and the people of war assembled. The object הָעָ֑י (ʿAi) comes directly after, marking the city as the tactical target.
Strategic Selection: Military Lexicon
שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ גִּבֹּורֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל
“Thirty thousand men, mighty warriors”
This phrase contains:
- A numeral: שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים (“thirty”)
- A noun in absolute state: אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ (“thousand men”)
- An attributive genitive phrase: גִּבֹּורֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל (“warriors of valor” or “mighty men of strength”)
Here, the Hebrew construct form גִּבֹּורֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל conveys military prowess, denoting elite soldiers. The double construct chain increases the intensity and honor of the selected troops.
Final Clause: Nocturnal Deployment
וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֖ם לָֽיְלָה
“And he sent them by night”
A short, sharp clause that emphasizes the element of covert strategy. The prepositional phrase לָֽיְלָה (“by night”) is placed at the end, highlighting the timing of this military maneuver and heightening the tension.
Discourse Implication: Leadership in Action
Yehoshua’s initiative—rising, choosing, dispatching—underscores his decisive leadership. Syntax mirrors strategy: each verb propels the narrative deeper into the covert operation. The military vocabulary (gibbōrê ḥayil), the calculated night raid, and the numerical detail all amplify a sense of order, might, and divine direction.
Hidden in the Hebrew: Syntax as Strategy
Joshua 8:3 teaches that grammar is part of warfare. The verbs march. The clauses conceal. The night covers. The entire verse unfolds like a command sequence—quick, deliberate, and quiet. Just like the men who vanished into the dark that night.