Joshua 8 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] Yahweh said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid, and don’t be dismayed. Take all the warriors with you, and arise, go up to Ai. Behold, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, with his people, his city, and his land. ^[2] You shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, except you shall take its goods and its livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.” ^[3] So Joshua arose, with all the warriors, to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, the mighty men of valor, and sent them out by night. ^[4] He commanded them, saying, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. ^[5] I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. It shall happen, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them. ^[6] They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, ‘They flee before us, like the first time.’ So we will flee before them, ^[7] and you shall rise up from the ambush, and take possession of the city; for Yahweh your God will deliver it into your hand. ^[8] It shall be, when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do this according to Yahweh’s word. Behold, I have commanded you.” ^[9] Joshua sent them out; and they went to set up the ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai on the west side of Ai; but Joshua stayed among the people that night. ^[10] Joshua rose up early in the morning, mustered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. ^[11] All the people, even the men of war who were with him, went up and came near, and came before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai. ^[12] He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. ^[13] So they set the people, even all the army who was on the north of the city, and their ambush on the west of the city; and Joshua went that night into the middle of the valley. ^[14] When the king of Ai saw it, they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the Arabah; but he didn’t know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. ^[15] Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. ^[16] All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them. They pursued Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. ^[17] There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who didn’t go out after Israel. They left the city open, and pursued Israel. ^[18] Yahweh said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.”Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. ^[19] The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and entered into the city and took it. They hurried and set the city on fire. ^[20] When the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. ^[21] When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned back and killed the men of Ai. ^[22] The others came out of the city against them, so they were in the middle of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. They struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. ^[23] They captured the king of Ai alive, and brought him to Joshua. ^[24] When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they had all fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. ^[25] All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the people of Ai. ^[26] For Joshua didn’t draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. ^[27] Israel took for themselves only the livestock and the goods of that city, according to Yahweh’s word which he commanded Joshua. ^[28] So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day. ^[29] He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening. At sundown, Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day. ^[30] Then Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, ^[31] as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones, on which no one had lifted up any iron. They offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh and sacrificed peace offerings. ^[32] He wrote there on the stones a copy of Moses’ law, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. ^[33] All Israel, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of Yahweh’s covenant, the foreigner as well as the native; half of them in front of Mount Gerizim, and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel. ^[34] Afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. ^[35] There was not a word of all that Moses commanded which Joshua didn’t read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who were among them.

King James Version

^[1] And the LordH3068 saidH559(QalImpf) unto Joshua,H3091 FearH3372(QalImpf) not, neither be thou dismayed:H2865(NiphImpf) takeH3947(QalImpv) all the peopleH5971 of warH4421 with thee, and arise,H6965(QalImpv) go upH5927(QalImpv) to Ai:H5857 see,H7200(QalImpv) I have givenH5414(QalPerf) into thy handH3027 the kingH4428 of Ai,H5857 and his people,H5971 and his city,H5892 and his land:H776 ^[2] And thou shalt doH6213(QalPerf) to AiH5857 and her kingH4428 as thou didstH6213(QalPerf) unto JerichoH3405 and her king:H4428 only the spoilH7998 thereof, and the cattleH929 thereof, shall ye take for a preyH962(QalImpf) unto yourselves: layH7760(QalImpv) thee an ambushH693(QalActPtc) for the cityH5892 behindH310 it. ^[3] So JoshuaH3091 arose,H6965(QalImpf) and all the peopleH5971 of war,H4421 to go upH5927(QalInf) against Ai:H5857 and JoshuaH3091 chose outH977(QalImpf) thirtyH7970 thousandH505 mightyH1368 menH376 of valour,H2428 and sent them awayH7971(QalImpf) by night.H3915 ^[4] And he commandedH6680(PielImpf) them, saying,H559(QalInf) Behold,H7200(QalImpv) ye shall lie in waitH693(QalActPtc) against the city,H5892 [even] behindH310 the city:H5892 goH7368 not veryH3966 farH7368(HiphImpf) from the city,H5892 but be ye all ready:H3559(NiphPtc) ^[5] And I, and all the peopleH5971 that [are] with me, will approachH7126(QalImpf) unto the city:H5892 and it shall come to pass, when they come outH3318(QalImpf) againstH7125(QalInf) us, as at the first,H7223 that we will fleeH5127(QalPerf) beforeH6440 them, ^[6] (For they will come outH3318(QalPerf) afterH310 us) till we have drawnH5423(HiphInf) them from the city;H5892 for they will say,H559(QalImpf) They fleeH5127(QalPtc) beforeH6440 us, as at the first:H7223 therefore we will fleeH5127(QalPerf) beforeH6440 them. ^[7] Then ye shall rise upH6965(QalImpf) from the ambush,H693(QalActPtc) and seizeH3423(HiphPerf) upon the city:H5892 for the LordH3068 your GodH430 will deliverH5414(QalPerf) it into your hand.H3027 ^[8] And it shall be, when ye have takenH8610(QalInf) the city,H5892 [that] ye shall setH3341(HiphImpf) the cityH5892 on fire:H784 according to the commandmentH1697 of the LordH3068 shall ye do.H6213(QalImpf) See,H7200(QalImpv) I have commandedH6680(PielPerf) you. ^[9] JoshuaH3091 therefore sent them forth:H7971(QalImpf) and they wentH3212(QalImpf) to lie in ambush,H3993 and abodeH3427(QalImpf) between BethelH1008 and Ai,H5857 on the west sideH3220 of Ai:H5857 but JoshuaH3091 lodgedH3885(QalImpf) that nightH3915 amongH8432 the people.H5971 ^[10] And JoshuaH3091 rose up earlyH7925(HiphImpf) in the morning,H1242 and numberedH6485(QalImpf) the people,H5971 and went up,H5927(QalImpf) he and the eldersH2205 of Israel,H3478 beforeH6440 the peopleH5971 to Ai.H5857 ^[11] And all the people,H5971 [even the people] of warH4421 that [were] with him, went up,H5927(QalPerf) and drew nigh,H5066(QalImpf) and cameH935(QalImpf) before the city,H5892 and pitchedH2583(QalImpf) on the north sideH6828 of Ai:H5857 now [there was] a valleyH1516 between them and Ai.H5857 ^[12] And he tookH3947(QalImpf) about fiveH2568 thousandH505 men,H376 and setH7760(QalImpf) them to lie in ambushH693(QalActPtc) between BethelH1008 and Ai,H5857 on the west sideH3220 of the city.H5857(Qere) ^[13] And when they had setH7760(QalImpf) the people,H5971 [even] all the hostH4264 that [was] on the northH6828 of the city,H5892 and their liers in waitH6119 on the westH3220 of the city,H5892 JoshuaH3091 wentH3212(QalImpf) that nightH3915 into the midstH8432 of the valley.H6010 ^[14] And it came to pass, when the kingH4428 of AiH5857 sawH7200(QalInf) [it], that they hastedH4116(PielImpf) and rose up early,H7925(HiphImpf) and the menH582 of the cityH5892 went outH3318(QalImpf) againstH7125(QalInf) IsraelH3478 to battle,H4421 he and all his people,H5971 at a time appointed,H4150 beforeH6440 the plain;H6160 but he wistH3045(QalPerf) not that [there were] liers in ambushH693(QalActPtc) against him behindH310 the city.H5892 ^[15] And JoshuaH3091 and all IsraelH3478 made as if they were beatenH5060(NiphImpf) beforeH6440 them, and fledH5127(QalImpf) by the wayH1870 of the wilderness.H4057 ^[16] And all the peopleH5971 that [were] in AiH5857(Qere) were calledH2199(NiphImpf) together to pursueH7291(QalInf) afterH310 them: and they pursuedH7291(QalImpf) afterH310 Joshua,H3091 and were drawn awayH5423(NiphImpf) from the city.H5892 ^[17] And there was not a manH376 leftH7604(NiphPerf) in AiH5857 or Bethel,H1008 that went not outH3318(QalPerf) afterH310 Israel:H3478 and they leftH5800(QalImpf) the cityH5892 open,H6605(QalPasPtc) and pursuedH7291(QalImpf) after Israel.H3478 ^[18] And the LordH3068 saidH559(QalImpf) unto Joshua,H3091 Stretch outH5186(QalImpv) the spearH3591 that [is] in thy handH3027 toward Ai;H5857 for I will giveH5414(QalImpf) it into thine hand.H3027 And JoshuaH3091 stretched outH5186(QalImpf) the spearH3591 that [he had] in his handH3027 toward the city.H5892 ^[19] And the ambushH693(QalActPtc) aroseH6965(QalPerf) quicklyH4120 out of their place,H4725 and they ranH7323(QalImpf) as soon as he had stretched outH5186(QalInf) his hand:H3027 and they enteredH935(QalImpf) into the city,H5892 and tookH3920(QalImpf) it, and hastedH4116(PielImpf) and setH3341(HiphImpf) the cityH5892 on fire.H784 ^[20] And when the menH582 of AiH5857 lookedH6437(QalImpf) behindH310 them, they saw,H7200(QalImpf) and, behold, the smokeH6227 of the cityH5892 ascended upH5927(QalPerf) to heaven,H8064 and they had no powerH3027 to fleeH5127(QalInf) this way or that way:H2008 and the peopleH5971 that fledH5127(QalPtc) to the wildernessH4057 turned backH2015(NiphPerf) upon the pursuers.H7291(QalActPtc) ^[21] And when JoshuaH3091 and all IsraelH3478 sawH7200(QalPerf) that the ambushH693(QalActPtc) had takenH3920(QalPerf) the city,H5892 and that the smokeH6227 of the cityH5892 ascended,H5927(QalPerf) then they turned again,H7725(QalImpf) and slewH5221(HiphImpf) the menH582 of Ai.H5857 ^[22] And the otherH428 issued outH3318(QalPerf) of the cityH5892 againstH7125(QalInf) them; so they were in the midstH8432 of Israel,H3478 some on this side, and some on that side: and they smoteH5221(HiphImpf) them, so thatH5704 they letH7604(HiphPerf) none of them remainH8300 or escape.H6412 ^[23] And the kingH4428 of AiH5857 they tookH8610(QalPerf) alive,H2416 and broughtH7126(HiphImpf) him to Joshua.H3091 ^[24] And it came to pass, when IsraelH3478 had made an endH3615(PielInf) of slayingH2026(QalInf) all the inhabitantsH3427(QalActPtc) of AiH5857 in the field,H7704 in the wildernessH4057 wherein they chasedH7291(QalPerf) them, and when they were all fallenH5307(QalImpf) on the edgeH6310 of the sword,H2719 until they were consumed,H8552(QalInf) that all the IsraelitesH3478 returnedH7725(QalImpf) unto Ai,H5857 and smoteH5221(HiphImpf) it with the edgeH6310 of the sword.H2719 ^[25] And [so] it was, [that] all that fellH5307(QalActPtc) that day,H3117 both of menH376 and women,H802 [were] twelveH8147 thousand,H505 [even] all the menH582 of Ai.H5857 ^[26] For JoshuaH3091 drewH7725 not his handH3027 back,H7725(HiphPerf) wherewith he stretched outH5186(QalPerf) the spear,H3591 until he had utterly destroyedH2763(HiphPerf) all the inhabitantsH3427(QalActPtc) of Ai.H5857 ^[27] Only the cattleH929 and the spoilH7998 of that cityH5892 IsraelH3478 took for a preyH962(QalPerf) unto themselves, according unto the wordH1697 of the LordH3068 which he commandedH6680(PielPerf) Joshua.H3091 ^[28] And JoshuaH3091 burntH8313(QalImpf) Ai,H5857 and madeH7760(QalImpf) it an heapH8510 for ever,H5769 [even] a desolationH8077 unto this day.H3117 ^[29] And the kingH4428 of AiH5857 he hangedH8518(QalPerf) on a treeH6086 until eventide:H6256 and as soon as the sunH8121 was down,H935(QalInf) JoshuaH3091 commandedH6680(PielPerf) that they should takeH3381 his carcaseH5038 downH3381(HiphImpf) from the tree,H6086 and castH7993(HiphImpf) it at the enteringH6607 of the gateH8179 of the city,H5892 and raiseH6965(HiphImpf) thereon a greatH1419 heapH1530 of stones,H68 [that remaineth] unto this day.H3117 ^[30] Then JoshuaH3091 builtH1129(QalImpf) an altarH4196 unto the LordH3068 GodH430 of IsraelH3478 in mountH2022 Ebal,H5858 ^[31] As MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LordH3068 commandedH6680(PielPerf) the childrenH1121 of Israel,H3478 as it is writtenH3789(QalPasPtc) in the bookH5612 of the lawH8451 of Moses,H4872 an altarH4196 of wholeH8003 stones,H68 over which no man hath lift upH5130(HiphPerf) [any] iron:H1270 and they offeredH5927(HiphImpf) thereon burnt offeringsH5930 unto the Lord,H3068 and sacrificedH2076(QalImpf) peace offerings.H8002 ^[32] And he wroteH3789(QalImpf) there upon the stonesH68 a copyH4932 of the lawH8451 of Moses,H4872 which he wroteH3789(QalPerf) in the presenceH6440 of the childrenH1121 of Israel.H3478 ^[33] And all Israel,H3478 and their elders,H2205 and officers,H7860(QalActPtc) and their judges,H8199(QalActPtc) stoodH5975(QalActPtc) on this side the arkH727 and on that side before the priestsH3548 the Levites,H3881 which bareH5375(QalActPtc) the arkH727 of the covenantH1285 of the Lord,H3068 as well the stranger,H1616 as he that was bornH249 among them; halfH2677 of them overH413 againstH4136 mountH2022 Gerizim,H1630 and halfH2677 of them over againstH4136 mountH2022 Ebal;H5858 as MosesH4872 the servantH5650 of the LordH3068 had commandedH6680(PielPerf) before,H7223 that they should blessH1288(PielInf) the peopleH5971 of Israel.H3478 ^[34] And afterwardH310 he readH7121(QalPerf) all the wordsH1697 of the law,H8451 the blessingsH1293 and cursings,H7045 according to all that is writtenH3789(QalPasPtc) in the bookH5612 of the law.H8451 ^[35] There was not a wordH1697 of all that MosesH4872 commanded,H6680(PielPerf) which JoshuaH3091 readH7121(QalPerf) not before all the congregationH6951 of Israel,H3478 with the women,H802 and the little ones,H2945 and the strangersH1616 that were conversantH1980(QalActPtc) amongH7130 them.

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