1. Then Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you and go up immediately to Ai. Look, I am giving into your hand the king of Ai, his city, and his land.
2. You will do to Ai and its king that which you did to Jericho and its king; you may take only its spoils and livestock as booty for yourself. Set for yourself an ambush against the city from behind it.”
3. So Joshua and all the fighting men went up immediately to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand of the best fighting men and sent them by night.
4. And he commanded them, saying, “Look, you are to lay an ambush against the city from behind. Do not go very far from the city and be ready.
5. Then I and all of the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they go out to meet us as before, we will flee from them.
6. They will come out after us until we draw them away from the city, because they will think, ‘They are fleeing from us as before.’ So we will flee from them.
7. Then you will rise up from the ambush and take possession of the city, for Yahweh your God will give it into your hand.
8. And when you capture the city you will set it on fire as Yahweh commanded. Look, I have commanded you.”
9. So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of the ambush, and they sat between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai; but Joshua spent the night with the people.