Following the painful defeat in the first battle for the city of Ai, God addresses Joshua to restore his broken confidence and outline a new military strategy based on natural warfare. The divine command to avoid fear and despair [ביאור שטיינזלץ] addresses the natural human hesitation to return to a place of previous danger and failure [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, Joshua carried a heavy burden of guilt, worrying that he was personally responsible for the recent disaster. He feared he was at fault either for forbidding the taking of spoils in Jericho or for failing to lead the troops into battle himself. God reassures him, affirming that Joshua's past intentions were good. He also clarifies that the transition to natural warfare does not indicate a drop in the Israelites' spiritual standing [חומת אנך].
To correct the fatal miscalculation made by the scouts in the first campaign, God instructs Joshua to mobilize the entire army [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The scouts had mistakenly assessed Ai as a small, easily conquered town. In reality, it was a fortified city situated on high ground, requiring a full military force to subdue [אברבנאל]. Additionally, unlike the previous attempt, Joshua is now commanded to march at the head of his warriors, fulfilling his proper role as a leader [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].
The shift from the open miracles seen at Jericho to natural military tactics and ambushes serves several purposes. The primary approach among commentators is that God does not perform unnecessary miracles; if a victory can be achieved through natural means, it must be pursued that way [רלב״ג]. This natural victory is also designed to restore the Israelites' honor and wipe away the shame of their previous defeat [אברבנאל].
On a broader strategic level, employing a massive army and complex tactics is meant to deceive the surrounding Canaanite nations. By making it appear that the Israelites rely on numerical superiority and military strategy rather than divine intervention, the Canaanite kings will be emboldened to form a united front. This ultimately benefits the Israelites, allowing them to defeat all the kings in one decisive battle rather than fighting a grueling, city-by-city campaign [מצודת דוד]. Tactically, the presence of a massive Israelite force will tempt the overconfident warriors of Ai to empty their city and march out to fight, leaving their home completely exposed to an ambush [רלב״ג, אברבנאל].
God assures Joshua of the victory, revealing to him through prophecy that the heavenly guardian angel of Ai has already been defeated, guaranteeing success on the ground [חומת אנך]. God then specifically lists the targets to be handed over, beginning with the king of Ai. The king is singled out first because, as the military commander, he bears direct responsibility for the Israelite casualties in the first battle. Only after the king does God mention the people who pursued the Israelites, followed by their city and their land [אברבנאל].