- Joshua:
- Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army ("And the LORDª saidª° unto¹ Joshua,ª Stretch outª° the spearª that¹ [is] in thy handª toward¹ Ai;ª for¹ I will giveª° it into thine hand.ª And Joshuaª stretched outª° the spearª that¹ [he had] in his handª toward¹ the city.ª" {Jsh 8:18}), and continued in this employment, by holding up or extending his spear, during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators, however, understand this action in a figurative sense, like the holding up of Moses' hands, as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops, nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed.
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