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 valor, 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 carcass 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 ^H3068 said ^H559 unto Joshua, ^H3091 Fear ^H3372 not, neither be thou dismayed: ^H2865 take ^H3947 all the people ^H5971 of war ^H4421 with thee, and arise, ^H6965 go up ^H5927 to Ai: ^H5857 see, ^H7200 I have given ^H5414 into thy hand ^H3027 the king ^H4428 of Ai, ^H5857 and his people, ^H5971 and his city, ^H5892 and his land: ^H776

² And thou shalt do ^H6213 to Ai ^H5857 and her king ^H4428 as thou didst ^H6213 unto Jericho ^H3405 and her king: ^H4428 only the spoil ^H7998 thereof, and the cattle ^H929 thereof, shall ye take for a prey ^H962 unto yourselves: lay ^H7760 thee an ambush ^H693 for the city ^H5892 behind ^H310 it.

³ So Joshua ^H3091 arose, ^H6965 and all the people ^H5971 of war, ^H4421 to go up ^H5927 against Ai: ^H5857 and Joshua ^H3091 chose out ^H977 thirty ^H7970 thousand ^H505 mighty ^H1368 men ^H376 of valour, ^H2428 and sent them away ^H7971 by night. ^H3915

⁴ And he commanded ^H6680 them, saying, ^H559 Behold, ^H7200 ye shall lie in wait ^H693 against the city, ^H5892 even behind ^H310 the city: ^H5892 go ^H7368 not very ^H3966 far ^H7368 from the city, ^H5892 but be ye all ready: ^H3559

⁵ And I, and all the people ^H5971 that are with me, will approach ^H7126 unto the city: ^H5892 and it shall come to pass, when they come out ^H3318 against ^H7125 us, as at the first, ^H7223 that we will flee ^H5127 before ^H6440 them,

⁶ (For they will come out ^H3318 after ^H310 us) till we have drawn ^H5423 them from the city; ^H5892 for they will say, ^H559 They flee ^H5127 before ^H6440 us, as at the first: ^H7223 therefore we will flee ^H5127 before ^H6440 them.

⁷ Then ye shall rise up ^H6965 from the ambush, ^H693 and seize ^H3423 upon the city: ^H5892 for the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 will deliver ^H5414 it into your hand. ^H3027

⁸ And it shall be, when ye have taken ^H8610 the city, ^H5892 that ye shall set ^H3341 the city ^H5892 on fire: ^H784 according to the commandment ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 shall ye do. ^H6213 See, ^H7200 I have commanded ^H6680 you.

⁹ Joshua ^H3091 therefore sent them forth: ^H7971 and they went ^H3212 to lie in ambush, ^H3993 and abode ^H3427 between Bethel ^H1008 and Ai, ^H5857 on the west side ^H3220 of Ai: ^H5857 but Joshua ^H3091 lodged ^H3885 that night ^H3915 among ^H8432 the people. ^H5971

¹⁰ And Joshua ^H3091 rose up early ^H7925 in the morning, ^H1242 and numbered ^H6485 the people, ^H5971 and went up, ^H5927 he and the elders ^H2205 of Israel, ^H3478 before ^H6440 the people ^H5971 to Ai. ^H5857

¹¹ And all the people, ^H5971 even the people of war ^H4421 that were with him, went up, ^H5927 and drew nigh, ^H5066 and came ^H935 before the city, ^H5892 and pitched ^H2583 on the north side ^H6828 of Ai: ^H5857 now there was a valley ^H1516 between them and Ai. ^H5857

¹² And he took ^H3947 about five ^H2568 thousand ^H505 men, ^H376 and set ^H7760 them to lie in ambush ^H693 between Bethel ^H1008 and Ai, ^H5857 on the west side ^H3220 of the city. ^{H5857 H5892}

¹³ And when they had set ^H7760 the people, ^H5971 even all the host ^H4264 that was on the north ^H6828 of the city, ^H5892 and their liers in wait ^H6119 on the west ^H3220 of the city, ^H5892 Joshua ^H3091 went ^H3212 that night ^H3915 into the midst ^H8432 of the valley. ^H6010

¹⁴ And it came to pass, when the king ^H4428 of Ai ^H5857 saw ^H7200 it, that they hasted ^H4116 and rose up early, ^H7925 and the men ^H582 of the city ^H5892 went out ^H3318 against ^H7125 Israel ^H3478 to battle, ^H4421 he and all his people, ^H5971 at a time appointed, ^H4150 before ^H6440 the plain; ^H6160 but he wist ^H3045 not that there were liers in ambush ^H693 against him behind ^H310 the city. ^H5892

¹⁵ And Joshua ^H3091 and all Israel ^H3478 made as if they were beaten ^H5060 before ^H6440 them, and fled ^H5127 by the way ^H1870 of the wilderness. ^H4057

¹⁶ And all the people ^H5971 that were in Ai ^{H5857 H5892} were called ^H2199 together to pursue ^H7291 after ^H310 them: and they pursued ^H7291 after ^H310 Joshua, ^H3091 and were drawn away ^H5423 from the city. ^H5892

¹⁷ And there was not a man ^H376 left ^H7604 in Ai ^H5857 or Bethel, ^H1008 that went not out ^H3318 after ^H310 Israel: ^H3478 and they left ^H5800 the city ^H5892 open, ^H6605 and pursued ^H7291 after Israel. ^H3478

¹⁸ And the LORD ^H3068 said ^H559 unto Joshua, ^H3091 Stretch out ^H5186 the spear ^H3591 that is in thy hand ^H3027 toward Ai; ^H5857 for I will give ^H5414 it into thine hand. ^H3027 And Joshua ^H3091 stretched out ^H5186 the spear ^H3591 that he had in his hand ^H3027 toward the city. ^H5892

¹⁹ And the ambush ^H693 arose ^H6965 quickly ^H4120 out of their place, ^H4725 and they ran ^H7323 as soon as he had stretched out ^H5186 his hand: ^H3027 and they entered ^H935 into the city, ^H5892 and took ^H3920 it, and hasted ^H4116 and set ^H3341 the city ^H5892 on fire. ^H784

²⁰ And when the men ^H582 of Ai ^H5857 looked ^H6437 behind ^H310 them, they saw, ^H7200 and, behold, the smoke ^H6227 of the city ^H5892 ascended up ^H5927 to heaven, ^H8064 and they had no power ^H3027 to flee ^H5127 this way or that way: ^H2008 and the people ^H5971 that fled ^H5127 to the wilderness ^H4057 turned back ^H2015 upon the pursuers. ^H7291

²¹ And when Joshua ^H3091 and all Israel ^H3478 saw ^H7200 that the ambush ^H693 had taken ^H3920 the city, ^H5892 and that the smoke ^H6227 of the city ^H5892 ascended, ^H5927 then they turned again, ^H7725 and slew ^H5221 the men ^H582 of Ai. ^H5857

²² And the other ^H428 issued out ^H3318 of the city ^H5892 against ^H7125 them; so they were in the midst ^H8432 of Israel, ^H3478 some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote ^H5221 them, so that ^H5704 they let ^H7604 none of them remain ^H8300 or escape. ^H6412

²³ And the king ^H4428 of Ai ^H5857 they took ^H8610 alive, ^H2416 and brought ^H7126 him to Joshua. ^H3091

²⁴ And it came to pass, when Israel ^H3478 had made an end ^H3615 of slaying ^H2026 all the inhabitants ^H3427 of Ai ^H5857 in the field, ^H7704 in the wilderness ^H4057 wherein they chased ^H7291 them, and when they were all fallen ^H5307 on the edge ^H6310 of the sword, ^H2719 until they were consumed, ^H8552 that all the Israelites ^H3478 returned ^H7725 unto Ai, ^H5857 and smote ^H5221 it with the edge ^H6310 of the sword. ^H2719

²⁵ And so it was, that all that fell ^H5307 that day, ^H3117 both of men ^H376 and women, ^H802 were twelve ^{H8147 H6240} thousand, ^H505 even all the men ^H582 of Ai. ^H5857

²⁶ For Joshua ^H3091 drew ^H7725 not his hand ^H3027 back, ^H7725 wherewith he stretched out ^H5186 the spear, ^H3591 until he had utterly destroyed ^H2763 all the inhabitants ^H3427 of Ai. ^H5857

²⁷ Only the cattle ^H929 and the spoil ^H7998 of that city ^H5892 Israel ^H3478 took for a prey ^H962 unto themselves, according unto the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 which he commanded ^H6680 Joshua. ^H3091

²⁸ And Joshua ^H3091 burnt ^H8313 Ai, ^H5857 and made ^H7760 it an heap ^H8510 for ever, ^H5769 even a desolation ^H8077 unto this day. ^H3117

²⁹ And the king ^H4428 of Ai ^H5857 he hanged ^H8518 on a tree ^H6086 until eventide: ^{H6256 H6153} and as soon as the sun ^H8121 was down, ^H935 Joshua ^H3091 commanded ^H6680 that they should take ^H3381 his carcase ^H5038 down ^H3381 from the tree, ^H6086 and cast ^H7993 it at the entering ^H6607 of the gate ^H8179 of the city, ^H5892 and raise ^H6965 thereon a great ^H1419 heap ^H1530 of stones, ^H68 that remaineth unto this day. ^H3117

³⁰ Then Joshua ^H3091 built ^H1129 an altar ^H4196 unto the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 in mount ^H2022 Ebal, ^H5858

³¹ As Moses ^H4872 the servant ^H5650 of the LORD ^H3068 commanded ^H6680 the children ^H1121 of Israel, ^H3478 as it is written ^H3789 in the book ^H5612 of the law ^H8451 of Moses, ^H4872 an altar ^H4196 of whole ^H8003 stones, ^H68 over which no man hath lift up ^H5130 any iron: ^H1270 and they offered ^H5927 thereon burnt offerings ^H5930 unto the LORD, ^H3068 and sacrificed ^H2076 peace offerings. ^H8002

³² And he wrote ^H3789 there upon the stones ^H68 a copy ^H4932 of the law ^H8451 of Moses, ^H4872 which he wrote ^H3789 in the presence ^H6440 of the children ^H1121 of Israel. ^H3478

³³ And all Israel, ^H3478 and their elders, ^H2205 and officers, ^H7860 and their judges, ^H8199 stood ^H5975 on this side the ark ^H727 and on that side before the priests ^H3548 the Levites, ^H3881 which bare ^H5375 the ark ^H727 of the covenant ^H1285 of the LORD, ^H3068 as well the stranger, ^H1616 as he that was born ^H249 among them; half ^H2677 of them over ^H413 against ^H4136 mount ^H2022 Gerizim, ^H1630 and half ^H2677 of them over against ^H4136 mount ^H2022 Ebal; ^H5858 as Moses ^H4872 the servant ^H5650 of the LORD ^H3068 had commanded ^H6680 before, ^H7223 that they should bless ^H1288 the people ^H5971 of Israel. ^H3478

³⁴ And afterward ^H310 he read ^H7121 all the words ^H1697 of the law, ^H8451 the blessings ^H1293 and cursings, ^H7045 according to all that is written ^H3789 in the book ^H5612 of the law. ^H8451

³⁵ There was not a word ^H1697 of all that Moses ^H4872 commanded, ^H6680 which Joshua ^H3091 read ^H7121 not before all the congregation ^H6951 of Israel, ^H3478 with the women, ^H802 and the little ones, ^H2945 and the strangers ^H1616 that were conversant ^H1980 among ^H7130 them.

---

¹ And Jehovah 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: set thee an ambush for the city behind it.

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

⁴ And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in ambush against the city, 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 and they will come out after us, till we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them;

⁷ and ye shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city: for Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand.

⁸ And it shall be, when ye have seized upon the city, that ye shall set the city on fire; according to the word of Jehovah shall ye do: see, I have commanded you.

⁹ And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to the ambushment, and abode between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

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

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

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

¹³ So they set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers-in-wait that were on the west of the city; and 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 the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he knew not that there was an 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 the city 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 Beth-el, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

¹⁸ And Jehovah said unto Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was 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 entered into the city, and took it; and they 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 others came forth 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 pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

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

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

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

²⁸ So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap for ever, even a desolation, unto this day.

²⁹ And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the eventide: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, unto this day.

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

³¹ as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of unhewn stones, upon which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto Jehovah, 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 of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, that bare the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the sojourner as the homeborn; half of them in front of mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.

³⁴ And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, 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 assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners that were among them.

---

¹ And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `Fear not, nor be affrighted, take with thee all the people of war, and rise, 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 hast done to Ai and to her king as thou hast done to Jericho and to her king; only, its spoil and its cattle ye spoil for yourselves; set for thee an ambush for the city at its rear.'

³ And Joshua riseth, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai, and Joshua chooseth thirty thousand men, mighty ones of valour, and sendeth them away by night,

⁴ and commandeth them, saying, `See, ye are liers in wait against the city, at the rear of the city, ye go not very far off from the city, and all of you have been prepared,

⁵ and I and all the people who `are' with me draw near unto the city, and it hath come to pass when they come out to meet us as at the first, and we have fled before them,

⁶ and they have come out after us till we have drawn them out of the city, for they say, They are fleeing before us as at the first, and we have fled before them,

⁷ and ye rise from the ambush, and have occupied the city, and Jehovah your God hath given it into your hand;

⁸ and it hath been, when ye capture the city, ye burn the city with fire, according to the word of Jehovah ye do, see, I have commanded you.'

⁹ And Joshua sendeth them away, and they go unto the ambush, and abide between Bethel and Ai, on the west of Ai; and Joshua lodgeth on that night in the midst of the people.

¹⁰ And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and inspecteth the people, and goeth up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai;

¹¹ and all the people of war who `are' with him have gone up, and draw nigh and come in over-against the city, and encamp on the north of Ai; and the valley `is' between him and Ai.

¹² And he taketh about five thousand men, and setteth them an ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west of the city;

¹³ and they set the people, all the camp which `is' on the north of the city, and its rear on the west of the city, and Joshua goeth on that night into the midst of the valley.

¹⁴ And it cometh to pass, when the king of Ai seeth `it', that hasten, and rise early, and go out do the men of the city to meet Israel for battle, he and all his people, at the appointed season, at the front of the plain, and he hath not known that an ambush `is' against him, on the rear of the city.

¹⁵ And Joshua and all Israel `seem' stricken before them, and flee the way of the wilderness,

¹⁶ and all the people who `are' in the city are called to pursue after them, and they pursue after Joshua, and are drawn away out of the city,

¹⁷ and there hath not been left a man in Ai and Bethel who hath not gone out after Israel, and they leave the city open, and pursue after Israel.

¹⁸ And Jehovah saith unto Joshua, `Stretch out with the javelin which `is' in thy hand towards Ai, for into thy hand I give it;' and Joshua stretcheth out with the javelin which `is' in his hand toward the city,

¹⁹ and the ambush hath risen `with' haste, out of its place, and they run at the stretching out of his hand, and go into the city, and capture it, and hasten, and burn the city with fire.

²⁰ And the men of Ai look behind them, and see, and lo, the smoke of the city hath gone up unto the heavens, and there hath not been in them power to flee hither and thither -- and the people who are fleeing to the wilderness have turned against the pursuer, --

²¹ and Joshua and all Israel have seen that the ambush hath captured the city, and that the smoke of the city hath gone up, and they turn back and smite the men of Ai;

²² and these have come out from the city to meet them, and they are in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that, and they smite them till he hath not left to them a remnant and escaped one;

²³ and the king of Ai they caught alive, and bring him near unto Joshua.

²⁴ And it cometh to pass, at Israel's finishing to slay all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them (and they fall all of them by the mouth of the sword till their consumption), that all Israel turn back to Ai, and smite it by the mouth of the sword;

²⁵ and all who fall during the day, of men and of women, are twelve thousand -- all men of Ai.

²⁶ And Joshua hath not brought back his hand which he stretched out with the javelin till that he hath devoted all the inhabitants of Ai;

²⁷ only, the cattle and the spoil of that city have Israel spoiled for themselves, according to the word of Jehovah which He commanded Joshua.

²⁸ And Joshua burneth Ai, and maketh it a heap age-during -- a desolation unto this day;

²⁹ and the king of Ai he hath hanged on the tree till even-time, and at the going in of the sun hath Joshua commanded, and they take down his carcase from the tree, and cast it unto the opening of the gate of the city, and raise over it a great heap of stones till this day.

³⁰ Then doth Joshua build an altar to Jehovah, God of Israel, in mount Ebal,

³¹ as Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses -- an altar of whole stones, over which he hath not waved iron -- and they cause to go up upon it burnt-offerings to Jehovah, and sacrifice peace-offerings;

³² and he writeth there on the stones the copy of the law of Moses, which he hath written in the presence of the sons of Israel.

³³ And all Israel, and its elders, and authorities, and its judges, are standing on this side and on that of the ark, over-against the priests, the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the sojourner as the native, half of them over-against mount Gerizim, and the half of them over-against mount Ebal, as Moses servant of Jehovah commanded to bless the people of Israel at the first.

³⁴ And afterwards he hath proclaimed all the words of the law, the blessing and the reviling, according to all that is written in the book of the law;

³⁵ there hath not been a thing of all that Moses commanded which Joshua hath not proclaimed before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the infants, and the sojourner who is going in their midst.

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¹ And Jehovah said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take with thee all the people of war, 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 to its king as thou didst to Jericho and to its king; only, the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof shall ye take as prey for yourselves. Set an ambush against the city behind it.

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

⁴ And he commanded them, saying, See, ye shall be in ambush against the city, behind the city: go not very far from the city, and be all of you ready.

⁵ And I and all the people that are with me will approach to 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 And 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; and we will flee before them.

⁷ And ye shall rise up from the ambush and take possession of the city; and Jehovah 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 word of Jehovah shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

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

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

¹¹ And all the people of war that were with him went up, and drew near, and came before the city; and they encamped on the north of Ai; and the valley was between them and Ai.

¹² Now he had taken about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west of the city.

¹³ And when they had set the people, the whole camp on the north of the city, and their ambush 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 the men of the city hasted and rose early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the appointed place before the plain. But he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

¹⁵ And Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten before them; and they fled by the way of the wilderness.

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

¹⁷ And not a man remained in Ai and Bethel that went not out after Israel; and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

¹⁸ And Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the javelin that he had in his hand toward the city.

¹⁹ And the ambush arose quickly from their place, and they ran when he stretched out his hand, and came into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

²⁰ And the men of Ai turned and saw, and behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way; and the people that fled to the wilderness turned upon the pursuers.

²¹ When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

²² And the others went 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, until they let none of them escape or flee away.

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

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

²⁵ And so it was, that all who fell that day, men as well as women, were twelve thousand, all the people of Ai.

²⁶ And Joshua did not draw back his hand, which he had stretched out with the javelin, until they had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

²⁷ Only, the cattle and the spoil of the city Israel took as prey to themselves, according to the word of Jehovah which he had commanded Joshua.

²⁸ And Joshua burned Ai, and made it an everlasting heap of desolation to this day.

²⁹ And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the evening; and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his carcase down from the tree, and threw it down at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised upon it a great heap of stones, [which remains] to this day.

³⁰ Then Joshua built an altar to Jehovah the God of Israel, in mount Ebal,

³¹ as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which iron had not been lifted up. And they offered up burnt-offerings on it to Jehovah, and sacrificed peace-offerings.

³² And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written before the children of Israel.

³³ And all Israel, and their elders, and their officers and judges, stood on this side and on that side of the ark before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, as well the stranger as the home-born [Israelite]; half of them toward mount Gerizim, and the other half of them toward mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded, that they should bless the people of Israel, in the beginning.

³⁴ And afterwards he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

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

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¹ Yahweh said to Joshua, Don't be afraid, neither be dismayed: take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai; behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land;

² You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king: only the spoil of it, and the cattle of it, shall you take for a prey to yourselves: set you an ambush for the city behind it.

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

⁴ He commanded them, saying, Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city; don't go very far from the city, but be all ready:

⁵ and I, and all the people who are with me, will approach to the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them;

⁶ and they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: so we will flee before them;

⁷ and you shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city: for Yahweh your God will deliver it into your hand.

⁸ It shall be, when you have seized on the city, that you shall set the city on fire; according to the word of Yahweh shall you do: behold, I have commanded you.

⁹ Joshua sent them forth; and they went to set up the ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

¹⁰ Joshua arose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

¹¹ All the people, [even] the [men of] war who were with him, went up, and drew near, and came before the city, and encamped on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between him and Ai.

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

¹³ So they set the people, even all the host who was on the north of the city, and their liers-in-wait who were on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

¹⁴ It happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn't know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

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

¹⁶ All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

¹⁷ There was not a man left in Ai or Beth El, who didn't go out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

¹⁸ Yahweh said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand. Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

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

²⁰ 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 who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.

²¹ 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 killed the men of Ai.

²² The others came forth 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 struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

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

²⁴ It happened, when Israel had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Israel returned to Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.

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

²⁶ For Joshua didn't draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

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

²⁸ So Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day.

²⁹ The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the evening: and at the going down of the sun Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, and cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised thereon a great heap of stones, to this day.

³⁰ Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal,

³¹ as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, on which no man had lifted up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings to Yahweh, and sacrificed peace-offerings.

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

³³ All Israel, and their elders and officers, and their judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, as well the foreigner as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.

³⁴ Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, 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 didn't read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.

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¹ Then the Lord said to Joshua, Have no fear and do not be troubled: take with you all the fighting-men and go up against Ai: for I have given into your hands the king of Ai and his people and his town and his land:

² And you are to do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king: but their goods and their cattle you may take for yourselves: let a secret force be stationed to make a surprise attack on the town from the back.

³ So Joshua and the fighting-men got ready to go up against Ai; and Joshua took thirty thousand men of war, and sent them out by night.

⁴ And he gave them their orders, saying, Go and take up your position secretly at the back of the town: do not go very far away, and let all of you be ready:

⁵ And I and all the people with me will come near the town, and when they come out against us as they did before, we will go in flight from them;

⁶ And they will come out after us, till we have got them away from the town; for they will say, They have gone in flight from us as before; so we will go in flight before them;

⁷ Then you will get up from your secret position and take the town, for the Lord your God will give it up into your hands.

⁸ And when you have taken the town, put fire to it, as the Lord has said: see, I have given you your orders.

⁹ So Joshua sent them out: and they took up a secret position between Beth-el and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua kept with the people that night.

¹⁰ And early in the morning Joshua got up, and put the people in order, and he and the chiefs of Israel went up before the people to Ai.

¹¹ And all the fighting-men who were with him went up and came near the town, and took up a position on the north side of Ai facing the town, with a valley between him and the town.

¹² And taking about five thousand men, he put them in position for a surprise attack on the west side of Ai, between Beth-el and Ai.

¹³ So all the people were in their places, the army on the north side of the town and the secret force on the west; and that night Joshua went down into the valley.

¹⁴ Now when the king of Ai saw it, he got up quickly and went out to war against Israel, he and all his people, to the slope going down to the valley; but he had no idea that a secret force was waiting at the back of the town.

¹⁵ Then Joshua and all Israel, acting as if they were overcome before them, went in flight by way of the waste land.

¹⁶ And all the people in Ai came together to go after them; and they went after Joshua, moving away from the town.

¹⁷ There was not a man in Ai and Beth-el who did not go out after Israel; and the town was open and unwatched while they went after Israel.

¹⁸ And the Lord said to Joshua, Let your spear be stretched out against Ai; for I will give it into your hands. So Joshua took up his spear, stretching it out in the direction of the town.

¹⁹ Then the secret force came quickly from their place, and running forward when they saw his hand stretched out, went into the town and took it, and put fire to it straight away.

²⁰ Then the men of Ai, looking back, saw the smoke of the town going up to heaven, and were unable to go this way or that: and the people who had gone in flight to the waste land were turned back on those who were coming after them.

²¹ And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the town had been taken by the surprise attack, and that the smoke of the town had gone up, turning round they overcame the men of Ai.

²² Then the other force came out of the town against them, so that they were being attacked on this side and on that: and Israel overcame them and let not one of them get away with his life.

²³ But the king of Ai they made prisoner, and took him to Joshua.

²⁴ Then, after the destruction of all the people of Ai in the field and in the waste land where they went after them, and when all the people had been put to death without mercy, all Israel went back to Ai, and put to death all who were in it without mercy.

²⁵ On that day twelve thousand were put to death, men and women, all the people of Ai.

²⁶ For Joshua did not take back his hand with the outstretched spear till the destruction of the people of Ai was complete.

²⁷ But the cattle and the goods from that town, Israel took for themselves, as the Lord had given orders to Joshua.

²⁸ So Joshua gave Ai to the flames, and made it a waste mass of stones for ever, as it is to this day.

²⁹ And he put the king of Ai to death, hanging him on a tree till evening: and when the sun went down, Joshua gave them orders to take his body down from the tree, and put it in the public place of the town, covering it with a great mass of stones, which is there to this day.

³⁰ Then Joshua put up an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal,

³¹ In the way ordered by Moses, the servant of the Lord, as it is recorded in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, untouched by any iron instrument: and on it they made burned offerings and peace-offerings to the Lord.

³² And he made there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, writing it before the eyes of the children of Israel.

³³ And all Israel, those who were Israelites by birth, as well as the men from other lands living with them, and their responsible men and their overseers and judges, took their places round the ark, in front of the priests, the Levites, whose work it was to take up the ark of the Lord's agreement; half of them were stationed in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, in agreement with the orders for the blessing of the children of Israel which Moses, the servant of the Lord, had given.

³⁴ And after, he gave them all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, as it is all recorded in the book of the law;

³⁵ Reading to all the meeting of Israel, with the women and the children and the men from other lands who were living among them, every word of the orders which Moses had given.