Matthew Poole and continuators on Joshua 8:1

AND the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee , and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thine hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

Partly, to strengthen them against those fears which their late Defeat had wrought in them; and partly that all of them might be partakers of this first spoil, and thereby be encouraged to proceed in their work. The weak multitude were not to go, because they might have hindred them in the following Stratagem; and it was but fit that the Military men who run the greatest hazards, should have the Precedency and Priviledg in the spoils.

Marginal references: Deut. 1. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. & 7. 18.