Joshua 8
8Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.H3068H559H3091H3372H2865H3947H5971H4421H6965H5927H5857H7200H5414H3027H4428H5857H5971H5892H7762You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town."H6213H5857H4428H6213H3405H4428H7998H929H962H7760H693H5892H3103So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 of his best warriors and sent them out at nightH3091H6965H5971H4421H5927H5857H3091H977H7970H505H1368H376H2428H7971H39154with these orders: "Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action.H6680H559H7200H693H5892H310H5892H7368H3966H7368H5892H35595When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them.H5971H7126H5892H3318H7125H7223H5127H64406We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, 'The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.' Then, while we are running from them,H3318H310H5423H5892H559H5127H6440H7223H5127H64407you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the LORD your God will give it to you.H6965H693H3423H5892H3068H430H5414H30278Set the town on fire, as the LORD has commanded. You have your orders."H8610H5892H3341H5892H784H1697H3068H6213H7200H66809So they left and went to the place of ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But Joshua remained among the people in the camp that night.H3091H7971H3212H3993H3427H1008H5857H3220H5857H3091H3885H3915H8432H597110Early the next morning Joshua roused his men and started toward Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.H3091H7925H1242H6485H5971H5927H2205H3478H6440H5971H585711All the fighting men who were with Joshua marched in front of the town and camped on the north side of Ai, with a valley between them and the town.H5971H4421H5927H5066H935H5892H2583H6828H5857H1516H585712That night Joshua sent 5,000 men to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the town.H3947H2568H505H376H7760H693H1008H5857H3220H5857H589213So they stationed the main army north of the town and the ambush west of the town. Joshua himself spent that night in the valley.H7760H5971H4264H6828H5892H6119H3220H5892H3091H3212H3915H8432H601014When the king of Ai saw the Israelites across the valley, he and all his army hurried out early in the morning and attacked the Israelites at a place overlooking the Jordan Valley. But he didn't realize there was an ambush behind the town.H4428H5857H7200H4116H7925H582H5892H3318H7125H3478H4421H5971H4150H6440H6160H3045H693H310H589215Joshua and the Israelite army fled toward the wilderness as though they were badly beaten.H3091H3478H5060H6440H5127H1870H405716Then all the men in the town were called out to chase after them. In this way, they were lured away from the town.H5971H5857H5892H2199H7291H310H7291H310H3091H5423H589217There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not chase after the Israelites, and the town was left wide open.H376H7604H5857H1008H3318H310H3478H5800H5892H6605H7291H347818Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Point the spear in your hand toward Ai, for I will hand the town over to you." Joshua did as he was commanded.H3068H559H3091H5186H3591H3027H5857H5414H3027H3091H5186H3591H3027H589219As soon as Joshua gave this signal, all the men in ambush jumped up from their position and poured into the town. They quickly captured it and set it on fire.H693H6965H4120H4725H7323H5186H3027H935H5892H3920H4116H3341H5892H78420When the men of Ai looked behind them, smoke from the town was filling the sky, and they had nowhere to go. For the Israelites who had fled in the direction of the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.H582H5857H6437H310H7200H6227H5892H5927H8064H3027H5127H2008H5971H5127H4057H2015H729121When Joshua and all the other Israelites saw that the ambush had succeeded and that smoke was rising from the town, they turned and attacked the men of Ai.H3091H3478H7200H693H3920H5892H6227H5892H5927H7725H5221H582H585722Meanwhile, the Israelites who were inside the town came out and attacked the enemy from the rear. So the men of Ai were caught in the middle, with Israelite fighters on both sides. Israel attacked them, and not a single person survived or escaped.H428H3318H5892H7125H8432H3478H5221H5704H7604H8300H641223Only the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua.H4428H5857H8610H2416H7126H309124When the Israelite army finished chasing and killing all the men of Ai in the open fields, they went back and finished off everyone inside.H3478H3615H2026H3427H5857H7704H4057H7291H5307H6310H2719H8552H3478H7725H5857H5221H6310H271925So the entire population of Ai, including men and women, was wiped out that day—12,000 in all.H5307H3117H376H802H8147H6240H505H582H585726For Joshua kept holding out his spear until everyone who had lived in Ai was completely destroyed.H3091H7725H3027H7725H5186H3591H2763H3427H585727Only the livestock and the treasures of the town were not destroyed, for the Israelites kept these as plunder for themselves, as the LORD had commanded Joshua.H929H7998H5892H3478H962H1697H3068H6680H309128So Joshua burned the town of Ai, and it became a permanent mound of ruins, desolate to this very day.H3091H8313H5857H7760H8510H5769H8077H311729Joshua impaled the king of Ai on a sharpened pole and left him there until evening. At sunset the Israelites took down the body, as Joshua commanded, and threw it in front of the town gate. They piled a great heap of stones over him that can still be seen today.H4428H5857H8518H6086H6256H6153H8121H935H3091H6680H3381H5038H3381H6086H7993H6607H8179H5892H6965H1419H1530H68H311730Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal.H3091H1129H4196H3068H430H3478H2022H585831He followed the commands that Moses the LORD's servant had written in the Book of Instruction: "Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools." Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD.H4872H5650H3068H6680H1121H3478H3789H5612H8451H4872H4196H8003H68H5130H1270H5927H5930H3068H2076H800232And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar the instructions Moses had given them.H3789H68H4932H8451H4872H3789H6440H1121H347833Then all the Israelites—foreigners and native-born alike—along with the elders, officers, and judges, were divided into two groups. One group stood in front of Mount Gerizim, the other in front of Mount Ebal. Each group faced the other, and between them stood the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the LORD's Covenant. This was all done according to the commands that Moses, the servant of the LORD, had previously given for blessing the people of Israel.H3478H2205H7860H8199H5975H727H3548H3881H5375H727H1285H3068H1616H249H2677H413H4136H2022H1630H2677H4136H2022H5858H4872H5650H3068H6680H7223H1288H5971H347834Joshua then read to them all the blessings and curses Moses had written in the Book of Instruction.H310H7121H1697H8451H1293H7045H3789H5612H845135Every word of every command that Moses had ever given was read to the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them.H1697H4872H6680H3091H7121H6951H3478H802H2945H1616H1980H7130
Joshua 9
9Now all the kings west of the Jordan River heard about what had happened. These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Lebanon mountains.H4428H5676H3383H2022H8219H2348H1419H3220H4136H3844H2850H567H3669H6522H2340H2983H80852These kings combined their armies to fight as one against Joshua and the Israelites.H6908H3162H3898H3091H3478H259H63103But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,H3427H1391H8085H3091H6213H3405H58574they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins.H6213H6195H3212H6737H3947H1087H8242H2543H3196H4997H1087H1234H68875They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy.H1087H5275H2921H7272H1087H8008H3899H6718H3001H53506When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us."H3212H3091H4264H1537H559H376H3478H935H7350H776H3772H12857The Israelites replied to these Hivites, "How do we know you don't live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you."H376H3478H559H2340H194H3427H7130H3772H12858They replied, "We are your servants." "But who are you?" Joshua demanded. "Where do you come from?"H559H3091H5650H3091H559H370H9359They answered, "Your servants have come from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt.H559H3966H7350H776H5650H935H8034H3068H430H8085H8089H6213H471410We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth).H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H4428H2809H5747H4428H1316H625211So our elders and all our people instructed us, 'Take supplies for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and tell them, "We are your servants; please make a treaty with us."'H2205H3427H776H559H559H3947H6720H3027H1870H3212H7125H559H5650H3772H128512"This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy.H3899H2525H6679H1004H3117H3318H3212H3001H535013These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey."H4997H3196H4390H2319H1234H8008H5275H1086H3966H7230H187014So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.H582H3947H6718H7592H6310H306815Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.H3091H6213H7965H3772H1285H2421H5387H5712H765016Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby!H7097H7969H3117H310H3772H1285H8085H7138H3427H713017The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.H1121H3478H5265H935H5892H7992H3117H5892H1391H3716H881H715718But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty.H1121H3478H5221H5387H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H5712H3885H538719But the leaders replied, "Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them.H5387H559H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H3201H506020This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath.H6213H2421H7110H7621H765021Let them live." So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed.H5387H559H2421H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H5387H169622Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us?H3091H7121H1696H559H7411H559H3966H7350H3427H713023May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God."H779H3772H5650H2404H6086H7579H4325H1004H43024They replied, "We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this.H6030H3091H559H5046H5046H5650H3068H430H6680H5650H4872H5414H776H8045H3427H776H6440H3966H3372H5315H6440H6213H169725Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right."H2009H3027H5869H2896H3477H6213H621326So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.H6213H5337H3027H1121H3478H202627But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the LORD—wherever the LORD would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day.H3091H5414H3117H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H4196H3068H3117H4725H977
Joshua 10
10Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed Ai and killed its king, just as he had destroyed the town of Jericho and killed its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and were now their allies.H139H4428H3389H8085H3588H3091H3920H5857H2763H6213H3405H4428H6213H5857H4428H3427H1391H7999H3478H71302He and his people became very afraid when they heard all this because Gibeon was a large town—as large as the royal cities and larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were strong warriors.H3372H3966H1391H1419H5892H259H4467H5892H1419H5857H582H13683So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and Debir of Eglon.H139H4428H3389H7971H1944H4428H2275H6502H4428H3412H3309H4428H3923H1688H4428H5700H5594"Come and help me destroy Gibeon," he urged them, "for they have made peace with Joshua and the people of Israel."H5927H5826H5221H1391H7999H3091H1121H34785So these five Amorite kings combined their armies for a united attack. They moved all their troops into place and attacked Gibeon.H2568H4428H567H4428H3389H4428H2275H4428H3412H4428H3923H4428H5700H622H5927H4264H2583H1391H38986The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. "Don't abandon your servants now!" they pleaded. "Come at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us."H582H1391H7971H3091H4264H1537H559H7503H3027H5650H5927H4120H3467H5826H4428H567H3427H2022H69087So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon.H3091H5927H1537H5971H4421H1368H24288"Do not be afraid of them," the LORD said to Joshua, "for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you."H3068H559H3091H3372H5414H3027H376H5975H64409Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise.H3091H935H6597H5927H1537H391510The LORD threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah.H3068H2000H6440H3478H5221H1419H4347H1391H7291H1870H4608H1032H5221H5825H471911As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the LORD destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword.H5127H6440H3478H4174H1032H3068H7993H1419H68H8064H5825H4191H7227H4191H1259H68H834H1121H3478H2026H271912On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon."H1696H3091H3068H3117H3068H5414H567H6440H1121H3478H559H5869H3478H8121H1826H1391H3394H6010H35713So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. Is this event not recorded in The Book of Jashar? The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.H8121H1826H3394H5975H1471H5358H341H1931H3789H5612H3477H8121H5975H2677H8064H213H935H8549H311714There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day!H3117H6440H310H3068H8085H6963H376H3068H3898H347815Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.H3091H7725H3478H4264H153716During the battle the five kings escaped and hid in a cave at Makkedah.H2568H4428H5127H2244H4631H471917When Joshua heard that they had been found,H5046H3091H559H2568H4428H4672H2244H4631H471918he issued this command: "Cover the opening of the cave with large rocks, and place guards at the entrance to keep the kings inside.H3091H559H1556H1419H68H6310H4631H6485H582H810419The rest of you continue chasing the enemy and cut them down from the rear. Don't give them a chance to get back to their towns, for the LORD your God has given you victory over them."H5975H7291H310H341H2179H5414H935H5892H3068H430H5414H302720So Joshua and the Israelite army continued the slaughter and completely crushed the enemy. They totally wiped out the five armies except for a tiny remnant that managed to reach their fortified towns.H3091H1121H3478H3615H5221H3966H1419H4347H8552H8300H8277H935H4013H589221Then the Israelites returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. After that, no one dared to speak even a word against Israel.H5971H7725H4264H3091H4719H7965H2782H3956H376H1121H347822Then Joshua said, "Remove the rocks covering the opening of the cave, and bring the five kings to me."H559H3091H6605H6310H4631H3318H2568H4428H463123So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon.H6213H3318H2568H4428H4631H4428H3389H4428H2275H4428H3412H4428H3923H4428H570024When they brought them out, Joshua told the commanders of his army, "Come and put your feet on the kings' necks." And they did as they were told.H3318H4428H3091H3091H7121H376H3478H559H7101H582H4421H1980H7126H7760H7272H6677H4428H7126H7760H7272H667725"Don't ever be afraid or discouraged," Joshua told his men. "Be strong and courageous, for the LORD is going to do this to all of your enemies."H3091H559H3372H2865H2388H553H3068H6213H341H389826Then Joshua killed each of the five kings and impaled them on five sharpened poles, where they hung until evening.H310H3091H5221H4191H8518H2568H6086H8518H6086H615327As the sun was going down, Joshua gave instructions for the bodies of the kings to be taken down from the poles and thrown into the cave where they had been hiding. Then they covered the opening of the cave with a pile of large rocks, which remains to this very day.H6256H935H8121H3091H6680H3381H6086H7993H4631H2244H7760H1419H68H4631H6310H6106H311728That same day Joshua captured and destroyed the town of Makkedah. He killed everyone in it, including the king, leaving no survivors. He destroyed them all, and he killed the king of Makkedah as he had killed the king of Jericho.H3117H3091H3920H4719H5221H6310H2719H4428H2763H5315H7604H8300H6213H4428H4719H6213H4428H340529Then Joshua and the Israelites went to Libnah and attacked it.H3091H5674H4719H3478H3841H3898H384130There, too, the LORD gave them the town and its king. He killed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. Then Joshua killed the king of Libnah as he had killed the king of Jericho.H3068H5414H4428H3027H3478H5221H6310H2719H5315H7604H8300H6213H4428H6213H4428H340531From Libnah, Joshua and the Israelites went to Lachish and attacked it.H3091H5674H3841H3478H3923H2583H389832Here again, the LORD gave them Lachish. Joshua took it on the second day and killed everyone in it, just as he had done at Libnah.H3068H5414H3923H3027H3478H3920H8145H3117H5221H6310H2719H5315H6213H384133During the attack on Lachish, King Horam of Gezer arrived with his army to help defend the town. But Joshua's men killed him and his army, leaving no survivors.H2036H4428H1507H5927H5826H3923H3091H5221H5971H7604H830034Then Joshua and the Israelite army went on to Eglon and attacked it.H3923H3091H5674H5700H3478H2583H389835They captured it that day and killed everyone in it. He completely destroyed everyone, just as he had done at Lachish.H3920H3117H5221H6310H2719H5315H2763H3117H6213H392336From Eglon, Joshua and the Israelite army went up to Hebron and attacked it.H3091H5927H5700H3478H2275H389837They captured the town and killed everyone in it, including its king, leaving no survivors. They did the same thing to all of its surrounding villages. And just as he had done at Eglon, he completely destroyed the entire population.H3920H5221H6310H2719H4428H5892H5315H7604H8300H6213H5700H2763H531538Then Joshua and the Israelites turned back and attacked Debir.H3091H7725H3478H1688H389839He captured the town, its king, and all of its surrounding villages. He completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He did to Debir and its king just what he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king.H3920H4428H5892H5221H6310H2719H2763H5315H7604H8300H6213H2275H6213H1688H4428H6213H3841H442840So Joshua conquered the whole region—the kings and people of the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills, and the mountain slopes. He completely destroyed everyone in the land, leaving no survivors, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded.H3091H5221H776H2022H5045H8219H794H4428H7604H8300H2763H5397H3068H430H3478H668041Joshua slaughtered them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza and from the region around the town of Goshen up to Gibeon.H3091H5221H6947H5804H776H1657H139142Joshua conquered all these kings and their land in a single campaign, for the LORD, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people.H4428H776H3091H3920H259H6471H3068H430H3478H3898H347843Then Joshua and the Israelite army returned to their camp at Gilgal.H3091H7725H3478H4264H1537
Dublin, OH
. But he didn't realize there was an ambush behind the town.H4428
