Joshua 8:3-11

³So Joshua and all the people got ready to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.

⁴He ordered them, “You lie in ambush behind the town, not far away. All of you need to be ready.

⁵When I and the rest of the men with me approach the town, the defenders will run out to attack us just like before, and we'll run away from them.

⁶They'll chase after us as we draw them away from the town, because they'll say to each other, ‘They're running away from us just like before.’

⁷While we're running away from them, you will get up from your ambush positions and take the town for the Lord God will hand it over to you.

⁸Once you've captured the town, set it on fire, as the Lord has instructed. Now follow your orders.”

⁹Joshua sent them out, and they went to lie in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But that night Joshua stayed with the people in the camp.

¹⁰Early the next morning Joshua got up early and gathered the people and went up to attack Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.

¹¹All the fighting men who were with him approached the front of the town, and camped there on the north side, with a valley between them and Ai.