Joshua 8:1-31

YAHWEH said to Joshua, “Do not yield to fear nor shrink back because of Israel’s failure. Now, get up, take all your soldiers with you, and march against Ai. See, I have handed over to you the city, the king, his people, and his land. Do to Ai what you did to Jericho and its king, except this time, you may take the plunder, including livestock. Set an ambush behind the city.” Joshua and his entire army set out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand valiant warriors and sent them ahead by night with these instructions: “Now pay attention. Set an ambush behind Ai, but don’t hide very far away. Stay alert and ready for battle! I’ll lead the rest of the army and make a direct assault on the city, and when they come out to fight us, we’ll flee from them as we did the first time. When this happens, they’ll say to themselves, ‘Look! They’re running away from us, just like last time!’ And they’ll keep chasing us until we’ve lured them away from the city. While we’re running away from them, jump up from your hiding place, race into Ai, and seize it. YAHWEH, your God, will deliver the city into your hands! When you’ve captured the city, set it on fire. Now that you have your orders, go and do as YAHWEH has commanded!” Joshua then sent them off, and they proceeded to take up a concealed position west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, while Joshua spent the night with the rest of the troops. So early the next morning, Joshua mustered his troops. He and the leaders of Israel went in front of the army and led them toward Ai. The entire fighting force with Joshua advanced until they were near the city and encamped north of Ai, with a valley between them and the city. He placed a smaller force of about five thousand men west of the city to set an ambush between Bethel and Ai. The main fighting force north of the city prepared for battle, while the rear guard held a concealed position west of the city. Joshua spent the night in the valley. At dawn, when the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he and his army rushed out to fight. They ran to attack Israel at a predetermined place en route to the Arabah, not knowing that an ambush had been set against them behind the city. Joshua and all the main fighting force fled toward the wilderness as though they were being overcome. Joshua’s tactic drew all of Ai’s reinforcements out of the city, and they set off in hot pursuit of Joshua and his men. Not a man remained in Ai or in Bethel who did not go out in pursuit of Israel, leaving their city undefended. Then YAHWEH spoke to Joshua and said, “Now, take the spear in your hand and point it toward Ai, for I will hand the city over to you!” So Joshua pointed his spear toward the city, and when Joshua gave this signal, all the men waiting in ambush behind the city jumped up from their position and poured into Ai. They quickly captured it and set it on fire. When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of their city rising to the sky. Joshua and his men also saw the smoke and knew that the other Israelite soldiers had captured the city and had set it on fire. The army of Ai had no place to escape, so Joshua and his men turned on them and began killing them. The men who had taken the city came out and joined the battle, so the Israelites had them surrounded. Israel cut them down, leaving neither survivors nor fugitives. But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua. Joshua’s men killed all the inhabitants of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them. They all fell by the sword. Then the Israelites turned to attack Ai and killed those who were still there. Joshua kept his spear pointed at Ai until the destruction was complete. Ai’s entire population, twelve thousand men and women, fell that day. However, the Israelites took the livestock and the goods captured in the city as YAHWEH had instructed Joshua. Then Joshua burned Ai to the ground and reduced it to a mound of ruins for all time. It remains desolate to this day. And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until sunset. Then at sunset, Joshua had the corpse taken down and left it lying in front of where the city gates once stood. They raised a large pile of stones over his corpse, where it remains to this day. Afterward, Joshua built near Mount Ebal a stone altar to YAHWEH, the God of Israel. He made it according to the teaching in the law of Moses, YAHWEH’s servant. Moses had commanded them to build an altar using stones that had not been cut with iron tools. On it they offered to YAHWEH burnt sacrifices and fellowship offerings.