Joshua 8

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set up an ambush behind the city.”

3 So Joshua and the whole army set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out at night

4 with these orders: “Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready.

5 Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them.

6 They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them,

7 you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8 And when you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded! See, I have given you orders.”

9 So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people.

10 Joshua got up early the next morning and mobilized his men, and he and the elders of Israel marched before them up to Ai.

11 Then all the troops who were with him marched up and approached the city. They arrived in front of Ai and camped to the north of it, with the valley between them and the city.

12 Now Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set up an ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.

13 So the forces were stationed with the main camp to the north of the city and the rear guard to the west of the city. And that night Joshua went into the valley.

14 When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.

15 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness.

16 Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai,

19 and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

20 When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now turned against their pursuers.

21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

22 Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.

25 A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.

26 Joshua did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.

27 Israel took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.

28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

30 At that time Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal to the LORD, the God of Israel,

31 just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used.” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And there in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

33 All Israel, foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel.

34 Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.

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 thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

3 ¶ So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, [even] behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

5 And I, and all the people that [are] with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, [that] ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

11 And all the people, [even the people] of war that [were] with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now [there was] a valley between them and Ai.

12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13 And when they had set the people, [even] all the host that [was] on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it], that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that [there were] liers in ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

16 And all the people that [were] in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that [is] in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city.

19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

23 ¶ And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

25 And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai.

26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, [even] a desolation unto this day.

29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, [that remaineth] unto this day.

30 ¶ Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,

31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up [any] iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.

34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take with thee all the people of war, and arise, and go up to Ai. Behold, I have delivered into thy hand king Als, and his people, and his city, and his land.

2 And thou shalt do unto Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king, without dividing her spoil of her cattle among you. But set an ambush behind the city.

3 And Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose thirty thousand men of valour, and sent them out by night.

4 And commanded them, saying, Take heed, ye shall be the ambush behind the city: but get you not too far from the city, and be ye all ready.

5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will make for the city. And if they come out to meet us, as before, we will flee before them,

6 That they may come out after us, until we have plucked them out of the city. For they shall remember that we flee from them, as before. And because we flee from them,

7 And ye shall arise out of ambush, and take the city: for the LORD your God shall deliver it into your hand.

8 And when ye have taken the city, set it on fire, and do according to the word of the LORD. Behold, I have commanded you.

9 So Joshua sent them, and they went into ambush, and halted between Bethel and Ai on the west side of Ai. And Joshua tarried that night among the people.

10 And he rose up early in the morning, and gathered the people together, and went up with the elders of Israel before the people unto Ai.

11 And all the people of war that were with him went up, and drew near, and came against the city, and pitched before Ai on the north side; and there was but a valley between him and Ai.

12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai on the west side of the city.

13 And they set the people of all the camp, which were toward the north of the city, to be the last of them toward the west of the city. So Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14 And when the king of Ai saw it, they made haste, and rose up early, and the men of the city out to meet Israel to battle, with all his people, unto a certain place before the border. For he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

15 And Joshua and all Israel stood as though they were smitten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

16 And all the people of the city cried out, that they should pursue them.

17 And they also pursued after Joshua, and went out of the city, that there remained not a man in Ai and Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, to pursue after Israel.

18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thine hand against Ai; for I will deliver it into thine hand. And when Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand against the city,

19 And the ambush arose in haste out of his place, and ran after he stretched forth his hand, and came into the city, and took it; and hasted, and set it on fire.

20 And the men of Ai turned, and looked behind them, and saw the smoke of the city ascend up to heaven, and had no place to flee to or from. And the people that fled to the wilderness turned back to pursue after them.

21 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, because there was smoke in the city, they turned again, and smote the men of Ai.

22 And they that were in the city came out to meet them, and came in the midst of Israel from thence, and from thence: and they smote them, until none of them remained, nor escaped.

23 And they took the king of Ai alive, and brought him to Joshua.

24 And when Israel had slain all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, and in the wilderness, which pursued after them, and were all fallen with the edge of the sword, until they were all consumed, then all Israel returned unto Ai, and smote them with the edge of the sword.

25 And all that fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, all the people of Ai.

26 And Joshua removed not his hand again to stretch forth the spear, until all the inhabitants of Ai were utterly destroyed.

27 Without the cattle, and the spoil of the city, Israel divided among themselves according to the word of the LORD, which he commanded Joshua.

28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made a heap of it for ever, which lieth there to this day.

29 And he hanged the king of Ai upon a tree until the even. And when the sun was down, he commanded that his body should be taken down from the tree, and they cast it under the gate of the city, and made a great heap of stones upon it, which is there unto this day.

30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal.

31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones hewn with no iron: and they offered upon it burnt offerings and peace offerings unto the LORD.

32 And there he wrote upon the stones the other law, which Moses commanded the children of Israel.

33 And all Israel, and their elders, and their officers, and their judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the priests of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, both the strangers and the sojourners, half of them beside mount Grisim, and half of them beside mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded before, to bless the people of Israel.

34 And afterward he proclaimed all the words of the law, blessings and cursings, as it is written in the book of the law.

35 There was not a word that Moses commanded, which Joshua spake not before all the congregation of Israel, and before the women, and the children, and the strangers that sojourned among them.