Joshua 8:6-21

⁶Till they pursuing us be drawn farther from the city: for they will think that we flee as before.

⁷And whilst we are fleeing, and they pursuing, you shall arise out of the ambush, and shall destroy the city: and the Lord your God will deliver it into our hands.

⁸And when you shall have taken it, set it on fire, and you shall do all things so as I have commanded.

⁹And he sent them away, and they went on to the place of the ambush, and abode between Bethel and Hai, on the west side of the city of Hai. But Josue stayed that night in the midst of the people,

¹⁰And rising early in the morning, he mustered his soldiers, and went up with the ancients in the front of the army environed with the aid of the fighting men.

¹¹And when they were come, and were gone up over against the city, they stood on the north side of the city, between which and them there was a valley in the midst.

¹²And he had chosen five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Hai, on the west side of the same city:

¹³But all the rest of the army went in battle array on the north side, so that the last of that multitude reached to the west side of the city. So Josue went that night, and stood in the midst of the valley.

¹⁴And when the king of Hai saw this, he made haste in the morning, and went out with all the army of the city, and set it in battle array toward the desert, not knowing that there lay an ambush behind his back.

¹⁵But Josue, and all Israel gave back, making as if they were afraid, and fleeing by the way of the wilderness.

¹⁶But they shouting together, and encouraging one another, pursued them. And when they were come from the city,

¹⁷And not one remained in the city of Hai and of Bethel, that did not pursue after Israel, leaving the towns open as they had rushed out,

¹⁸The Lord said to Josue: Lift up the shield that is in thy hand, towards the city of Hai, for I will deliver it to thee.

¹⁹And when he had lifted up his shield towards the city, the ambush that lay hid, rose up immediately: and going to the city, took it and set it on fire.

²⁰And the men of the city, that pursued after Josue, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rise up to heaven, had no more power to flee this way or that way: especially as they that had counterfeited flight, and were going toward the wilderness, turned back most valiantly against them that pursued.

²¹So Josue and all Israel seeing that the city was taken, and that the smoke of the city rose up, returned and slew the men of Hai.