Jos 7:2-4 | TNotes | STEP | 7:2 As he did before the battle for Jericho, Joshua sent some of his men to assess the situation at Ai. This town stood about ten miles west of Jericho at the entrance to a plateau north of Jerusalem called the Plateau of Benjamin; conquering Ai would open the way for Israel to control the hill country. • Beth-aven, “house of iniquity,” was probably an intentionally derogatory wordplay on the name Bethel, the “house of God.” A pagan shrine stood on this site later in Israel’s history (1 Kgs 12:28-33 ).

b1 Kgs 12:28-33►

‏ Joshua 7:2-4

7:2 ^a As he did before the battle for Jericho, Joshua sent some of his men to assess the situation at Ai. This town stood about ten miles west of Jericho at the entrance to a plateau north of Jerusalem called the Plateau of Benjamin; conquering Ai would open the way for Israel to control the hill country.

• Beth-aven, “house of iniquity,” was probably an intentionally derogatory wordplay on the name Bethel, the “house of God.” A pagan shrine stood on this site later in Israel’s history (1 Kgs 12:28-33 ^b).
Summary for Josh 7:3-4: 7:3-4 ^c God’s provision of victory at Jericho apparently bred complacency and overconfidence; Joshua did not even consult with God before sending a small contingent of troops to Ai.