1. And Jehovah said to Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take with thee all the people of war, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.
2. And thou shalt do to Ai and to its king as thou didst to Jericho and to its king; only, the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof shall ye take as prey for yourselves. Set an ambush against the city behind it.
3. And Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose thirty thousand valiant men, and sent them away by night.
4. And he commanded them, saying, See, ye shall be in ambush against the city, behind the city: go not very far from the city, and be all of you ready.
5. And I and all the people that are with me will approach to the city; and it shall come to pass when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them.
6. And they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first; and we will flee before them.
7. And ye shall rise up from the ambush and take possession of the city; and Jehovah your God will deliver it into your hand.
8. And it shall be when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire; according to the word of Jehovah shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
9. And Joshua sent them forth; and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west of Ai. And Joshua lodged that night among the people.
10. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and inspected the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
11. And all the people of war that were with him went up, and drew near, and came before the city; and they encamped on the north of Ai; and the valley was between them and Ai.
12. Now he had taken about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west of the city.
13. And when they had set the people, the whole camp on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
14. And it came to pass when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hasted and rose early, and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the appointed place before the plain. But he knew not that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
15. And Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten before them; and they fled by the way of the wilderness.
16. And all the people that were in the city were called together to pursue after them; and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.