Joshua 8:12-28

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

¹³And the people, all the camp that was on the north of the city, and its ambush on the west of the city got ready; and Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

¹⁴And it came to pass, when the king of 'Ai saw this, the men of the city hastened and rose up early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the plain; but he knew not that there was an ambush against him in the rear of the city.

¹⁵And Joshua and Israel feigned themselves beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

¹⁶And 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.

¹⁷And 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.

¹⁸And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward 'Ai; for into thy hand will I give it. And Joshua stretched out the spear which was in his hand toward the city.

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

²⁰And the men of 'Ai turned and looked behind them, and 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 had fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

²¹For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had seized the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended: they turned back, and smote the men of 'Ai.

²²And the others issued out of the city against them; so that the Israelites had them in the middle, some on this side, and some on that side; and they smote them, until there was not left of them one that remained or escaped.

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

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

²⁵And the number of all that fell in that day, both of men and women, was twelve thousand, all the people of 'Ai.

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

²⁷Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty unto themselves, according to the word of the Lord which he had commanded Joshua.

²⁸And Joshua burnt 'Ai, and made it a ruinous heap of desolation for ever, even unto this day,