Joshua 8

The Fall of Ai

1 Now the LORD said to Joshua: a "Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, b I have given 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 c Jericho and its king. Only d its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay 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 thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. 4 And he commanded them, saying: "Behold, e you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 "Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that f we shall flee before them. 6 "For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, 'They are fleeing before us as at the first.' Therefore we will flee before them. 7 "Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. 8 "And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the LORD you shall do. g See, I have commanded you." 9 Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

10 Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11 h And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai. 12 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of 1 the city. 13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. 14 Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he i did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 And Joshua and all Israel j made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16 So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.

18 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. 19 So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and hurried to 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 to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. 21 Now when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then the others came out of the city against them; so they were caught in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. And they struck them down, so that they k let none of them remain or escape. 23 But 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 where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So it was that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand - all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had l utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 m Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had n commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it o a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 29 p And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. q And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree, cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and r raise over it a great heap of stones that remains to this day.

Joshua Renews the Covenant

30 Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD God of Israel s in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: t "an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool." 2 And u they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, v he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, w who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, x the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, y as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward z he read all the words of the law, a the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the b Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, c with the women, the little ones, d and the strangers who were living among them.

  1. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 1:21
    'Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.'
    Deuteronomy 7:18
    You shall not be afraid of them, but you shall remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:
    Deuteronomy 31:8
    "And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
    Joshua 1:9
    "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
    Joshua 10:8
    And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 6:2
    And the LORD said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.
  3. Cross References
    Joshua 6:21
    And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 20:14
    But the women, the little ones, the livestock, and all that is in the city, all its spoil, you shall plunder for yourself; and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you.
    Joshua 8:27
    Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the LORD which He had commanded Joshua.
  5. Cross References
    Judges 20:29
    Then Israel set men in ambush all around Gibeah.
  6. Cross References
    Joshua 7:5
    And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
    Judges 20:32
    And the children of Benjamin said, "They are defeated before us, as at first." But the children of Israel said, "Let us flee and draw them away from the city to the highways.
  7. Cross References
    2 Samuel 13:28
    Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, "Watch now, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon!' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.
  8. Cross References
    Joshua 8:5
    Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that we shall flee before them.
  9. Cross References
    Judges 20:34
    And ten thousand select men from all Israel came against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjamites did not know that disaster was upon them.
    Ecclesiastes 9:12
    For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.
  10. Cross References
    Judges 20:36
    So the children of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel had given ground to the Benjamites, because they relied on the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah.
  11. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 7:2
    And when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.
  12. Cross References
    Joshua 6:21
    And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
  13. Cross References
    Numbers 31:22
    Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead.
    Numbers 31:26
    Count up the plunder that was taken - of man and beast - you and Eleazar the priest and the chief fathers of the congregation.
  14. Cross References
    Joshua 8:2
    "And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it."
  15. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:16
    And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, for the LORD your God. It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again.
  16. Cross References
    Joshua 10:26
    And afterward Joshua struck them and killed them, and hanged them on five trees; and they were hanging on the trees until evening.
  17. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 21:22
    If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree.
    Deuteronomy 21:23
    His body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
    Joshua 10:27
    So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.
  18. Cross References
    Joshua 7:26
    Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
    Joshua 10:27
    So it was at the time of the going down of the sun that Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees, cast them into the cave where they had been hidden, and laid large stones against the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.
  19. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 27:4 - 8
    Therefore it shall be, when you have crossed over the Jordan, that on Mount Ebal you shall set up these stones, which I command you today, and you shall whitewash them with lime.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 20:25
    And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it.
    Deuteronomy 27:5
    And there you shall build an altar to the LORD your God, an altar of stones; you shall not use an iron tool on them.
    Deuteronomy 27:6
    You shall build with whole stones the altar of the LORD your God, and offer burnt offerings on it to the LORD your God.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 20:24
    An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you.
  22. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 27:2
    And it shall be, on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the LORD your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones, and whitewash them with lime.
    Deuteronomy 27:3
    You shall write on them all the words of this law, when you have crossed over, that you may enter the land which the LORD your God is giving you, 'a land flowing with milk and honey,' just as the LORD God of your fathers promised you.
    Deuteronomy 27:8
    "And you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of this law."
  23. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:9
    So Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
    Deuteronomy 31:25
    That Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying:
  24. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:12
    Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law.
  25. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 11:29
    Now it shall be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
    Deuteronomy 27:12
    These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.
  26. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:11
    When all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
    Nehemiah 8:3
    Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
  27. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 28:2
    And all these blessings shall come upon you and...
    Deuteronomy 28:15
    But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey t...
    Deuteronomy 28:45
    Moreover all these curses shall come upon you a...
    Deuteronomy 29:20
    The LORD would not spare him; for then the ange...
    Deuteronomy 29:21
    And the LORD would separate him from all the tr...
    Deuteronomy 30:19
    I call heaven and earth as witnesses today agai...
  28. Cross References
    Joshua 1:8
    This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
  29. Cross References
    Exodus 12:38
    A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds - a great deal of livestock.
    Deuteronomy 31:12
    Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law.
  30. Cross References
    Joshua 8:33
    Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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