Joshua 8
8
Ai Conquered
1Yahweh 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 # 8:1 Or “I have delivered into your hands.” the city, the king, his people, and his land. 2Do 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.”
3Joshua and his entire army set out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand valiant warriors and sent them ahead by night 4with these instructions: “Now pay attention. Set an ambush behind Ai, but don’t hide very far away. Stay alert and ready for battle! 5I’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. 6When 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, 7jump up from your hiding place, race into Ai, and seize it. Yahweh, your God, will deliver the city into your hands! 8When you’ve captured the city, set it on fire. Now that you have your orders, go and do as Yahweh has commanded!”
9Joshua 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.
10So 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. 11The entire fighting force with Joshua advanced until they were near the city and encamped north of Ai, # 8:11 Joshua encamped in plain sight of the enemy. with a valley between them and the city. 12He placed a smaller force of about five thousand men west of the city to set an ambush between Bethel and Ai. # 8:12 Some Jewish scholars (Rashi, David Kimchi) suggest that Joshua set a double ambush, one closer to the city than the other. One consisted of five thousand and the larger ambush, thirty thousand. 13The main fighting force north of the city prepared for battle, while the rear guard # 8:13 Or “his heel.” held a concealed position west of the city. Joshua spent the night in the valley. # 8:13 The Septuagint omits v. 13 entirely.
14At 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. 15Joshua and all the main fighting force fled toward the wilderness as though they were being overcome. 16Joshua’s tactic drew all of Ai’s reinforcements out of the city, and they set off in hot pursuit of Joshua and his men. 17Not a man remained in Ai or in Bethel # 8:17 The reference to Bethel is omitted in the Septuagint. who did not go out in pursuit of Israel, leaving their city undefended.
18Then 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, 19and 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.
20-21When 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. 22The 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. 23But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24Joshua’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. # 8:24 God did a miracle for Israel with Jericho’s walls crumbling, but with the battle of Ai, it was God’s brilliant strategy carried out by Joshua’s men that won the victory. Every battle in our lives requires that we seek God’s face and obey his instructions so that we will taste the joys of victory. Obedience to God’s plan is the key. Though God assured Israel of victory, they still had to discharge their responsibility. 25-26Joshua kept his spear pointed at Ai until the destruction was complete. Ai’s entire population, twelve thousand men and women, fell that day. 27However, the Israelites took the livestock and the goods captured in the city as Yahweh had instructed Joshua.
28Then Joshua burned Ai to the ground and reduced it to a mound of ruins for all time. It remains desolate to this day. 29And 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.
Renewal of the Covenant at Mount Ebal
30Afterward, Joshua built near Mount Ebal a stone altar # 8:30 This altar was built at Shechem, about twenty miles from Ai, between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Ebal means “stripped of all covering,” “bare,” “naked,” or “barren.” The law etched upon stones exposes sin, leaves us guilty, and produces death (see 2 Cor. 3:7). to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 31He 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. # 8:31 See Deut. 27:1–26. Building the altar without the tools of people teaches us that God alone made the ultimate altar, the cross of Jesus. Salvation is not through the hands of humankind but by the mercy of God (see Titus 3:5). The altar was to be on Mount Ebal, the place where the curses were read. God has provided an altar of salvation even when sin’s curse defeats us. Mercy’s altar stands on Ebal even when we feel stripped, bare, naked, and barren. On it they offered to Yahweh burnt sacrifices and fellowship offerings. # 8:31 Or “peace offerings,” “offerings of well-being,” or “communion sacrifices.” The fellowship offerings were given in gratitude to God. Only the fat was burned (see Lev. 7:29–34), and the rest was consumed by the people (see Lev. 10:14). 32And with the Israelites looking on, Joshua inscribed on stones the law which Moses had written.
33All Israel, including their elders, officials, and judges, stood on either side of the ark. Both native-born citizens and immigrants alike faced the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the Levitical priests who carried it. In front of half of them stood Mount Gerizim, # 8:33 Gerizim means “cut up” or “shorn place.” Jesus took our curse and was “shorn” and “cut up” for our sins (see Isa. 53:7–8). Israel renewed their covenant with Yahweh in the valley between Mount Ebal (ebal means “stripped of all covering,” a picture of the law) and Mount Gerizim (gerizim means “cut up,” a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ). The new covenant, the Spirit of Life, is now written upon our hearts. See Jer. 31:33; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10; 10:16. and in front of the other half stood Mount Ebal, as Yahweh’s servant Moses commanded at first to bless the people of Israel. # 8:33 See Deut. 11:29. 34Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, # 8:34 See Lev. 26; Deut. 27–28. exactly as it was written in the scroll of the law. 35Joshua read aloud every word that Moses had commanded, and all the assembly of Israel heard it, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who accompanied them. # 8:35 See Neh. 8:1–12.
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Joshua 8: TPT
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