Genesis 14:14-17

14:14 When Abram heard that his nephew ¹  had been taken captive, he mobilized ²  his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders ³  as far as Dan. ⁴  14:15 Then, during the night, ⁵  Abram ⁶  divided his forces ⁷  against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north ⁸  of Damascus. 14:16 He retrieved all the stolen property. ⁹  He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of ¹⁰  the people.

14:17 After Abram ¹¹  returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet Abram ¹²  in the Valley of Shaveh (known as the King’s Valley). ¹³ 

Joshua 8:1-29

Israel Conquers Ai

8:1 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid and don’t panic! ¹⁴  Take the whole army with you and march against Ai! ¹⁵  See, I am handing over to you ¹⁶  the king of Ai, along with his people, city, and land. 8:2 Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho ¹⁷  and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”

8:3 Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. ¹⁸  Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night. 8:4 He told ¹⁹  them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready! 8:5 I and all the troops ²⁰  who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them. 8:6 They will attack ²¹  us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them. 8:7 Then you rise up from your hiding place ²²  and seize ²³  the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8:8 When you capture the city, set it ²⁴  on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.” ²⁵  8:9 Joshua sent them away and they went to their hiding place ²⁶  west of Ai, between Bethel ²⁷  and Ai. ²⁸  Joshua spent that night with the army. ²⁹ 

8:10 Bright and early the next morning Joshua gathered ³⁰  the army, ³¹  and he and the leaders ³²  of Israel marched ³³  at the head of it ³⁴  to Ai. 8:11 All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. ³⁵  They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. ³⁶  8:12 He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel ³⁷  and Ai. 8:13 The army was in position – the main army north of the city and the rear guard west of the city. That night Joshua went into ³⁸  the middle of the valley.

8:14 When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. ³⁹  But he did not realize ⁴⁰  men were hiding behind the city. ⁴¹  8:15 Joshua and all Israel pretended to be defeated by them and they retreated along the way to the desert. 8:16 All the reinforcements ⁴²  in Ai ⁴³  were ordered ⁴⁴  to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city. 8:17 No men were left in Ai or Bethel; ⁴⁵  they all went out after Israel. ⁴⁶  They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

8:18 The Lord told Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the curved sword in your hand, for I am handing the city ⁴⁷  over to you.” So Joshua held out toward Ai the curved sword in his hand. 8:19 When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. ⁴⁸  They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire. 8:20 When the men of Ai turned around, they saw ⁴⁹  the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. ⁵⁰  In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers. 8:21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, ⁵¹  they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. 8:22 At the same time the men who had taken the city came out to fight, and the men of Ai were trapped in the middle. ⁵²  The Israelites struck them down, leaving no survivors or refugees. 8:23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the men ⁵³  of Ai who had chased them toward the desert ⁵⁴  (they all fell by the sword), ⁵⁵  all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it. 8:25 Twelve thousand men and women died ⁵⁶  that day, including all the men of Ai. 8:26 Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. ⁵⁷  8:27 But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua. ⁵⁸  8:28 Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanently uninhabited mound (it remains that way to this very day). ⁵⁹  8:29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening. ⁶⁰  At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree. ⁶¹  They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and erected over it a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day). ⁶² 

Joshua 11:23

11:23 Joshua conquered ⁶³  the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, ⁶⁴  and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. ⁶⁵  Then the land was free of war.

Joshua 11:2

11:2 and the northern kings who ruled in ⁶⁶  the hill country, the Arabah south of Kinnereth, ⁶⁷  the lowlands, and the heights of Dor to the west.

Joshua 10:6-19

10:6 The men of Gibeon sent this message to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, “Do not abandon ⁶⁸  your subjects! ⁶⁹  Rescue us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings living in the hill country are attacking us.” ⁷⁰  10:7 So Joshua and his whole army, including the bravest warriors, marched up from Gilgal. ⁷¹  10:8 The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. ⁷²  Not one of them can resist you.” ⁷³  10:9 Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal. ⁷⁴  10:10 The Lord routed ⁷⁵  them before Israel. Israel ⁷⁶  thoroughly defeated them ⁷⁷  at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass ⁷⁸  of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 10:11 As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from ⁷⁹  Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, ⁸⁰  all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: ⁸¹ 

“O sun, stand still over Gibeon!

O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”

10:13 The sun stood still and the moon stood motionless while the nation took vengeance on its enemies. The event is recorded in the Scroll of the Upright One. ⁸²  The sun stood motionless in the middle of the sky and did not set for about a full day. ⁸³  10:14 There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed ⁸⁴  a man, for the Lord fought for Israel! 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel returned to the camp at Gilgal.

10:16 The five Amorite kings ⁸⁵  ran away and hid in the cave at Makkedah. 10:17 Joshua was told, “The five kings have been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah.” 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it. ⁸⁶  10:19 But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! ⁸⁷  Don’t allow them to retreat to ⁸⁸  their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” ⁸⁹ 

Joshua 10:1

Israel Defeats an Amorite Coalition

10:1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, ⁹⁰  heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho ⁹¹  and its king. ⁹²  He also heard how ⁹³  the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them.

Joshua 5:4

5:4 This is why Joshua had to circumcise them: All the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt died on the journey through the desert after they left Egypt. ⁹⁴ 

Joshua 5:2

A New Generation is Circumcised

5:2 At that time the Lord told Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites once again.” ⁹⁵ 

Joshua 20:1

Israel Designates Cities of Refuge

20:1 The Lord instructed Joshua:

Joshua 20:1

Israel Designates Cities of Refuge

20:1 The Lord instructed Joshua:

[14:14]  ¹ tn Heb “his brother,” by extension, “relative.” Here and in v. 16 the more specific term “nephew” has been used in the translation for clarity. Lot was the son of Haran, Abram’s brother (Gen 11:27).

[14:14]  ² tn The verb וַיָּרֶק (vayyareq) is a rare form, probably related to the word רֵיק (req, “to be empty”). If so, it would be a very figurative use: “he emptied out” (or perhaps “unsheathed”) his men. The LXX has “mustered” (cf. NEB). E. A. Speiser (Genesis [AB], 103-4) suggests reading with the Samaritan Pentateuch a verb diq, cognate with Akkadian deku, “to mobilize” troops. If this view is accepted, one must assume that a confusion of the Hebrew letters ד (dalet) and ר (resh) led to the error in the traditional Hebrew text. These two letters are easily confused in all phases of ancient Hebrew script development. The present translation is based on this view.

[14:14]  ³ tn The words “the invaders” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:14]  ⁴ sn The use of the name Dan reflects a later perspective. The Danites did not migrate to this northern territory until centuries later (see Judg 18:29). Furthermore Dan was not even born until much later. By inserting this name a scribe has clarified the location of the region.

[14:15]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew text simply has “night” as an adverbial accusative.

[14:15]  ⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “he divided himself…he and his servants.”

[14:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “left.” Directions in ancient Israel were given in relation to the east rather than the north.

[14:16]  ⁹ tn The word “stolen” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:16]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase “the rest of “ has been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[14:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ¹² tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[14:17]  ¹³ sn The King’s Valley is possibly a reference to what came to be known later as the Kidron Valley.

[8:1]  ¹⁴ tn Or perhaps “and don’t get discouraged!”

[8:1]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “Take with you all the people of war and arise, go up against Ai!”

[8:1]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “I have given into our hand.” The verbal form, a perfect, is probably best understood as a perfect of certitude, indicating the certainty of the action.

[8:2]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[8:3]  ¹⁸ tn “And Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up [against] Ai.”

[8:4]  ¹⁹ tn Or “commanded, ordered.”

[8:5]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the people.”

[8:6]  ²¹ tn Heb “come out after.”

[8:7]  ²² tn Heb “from the ambush.”

[8:7]  ²³ tn Heb “take possession of.”

[8:8]  ²⁴ tn Heb “the city.”

[8:8]  ²⁵ tn Heb “I have commanded you.”

[8:9]  ²⁶ tn Or “the place of ambush.”

[8:9]  ²⁷ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[8:9]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and they stayed between Bethel and Ai, west of Ai.”

[8:9]  ²⁹ tn Heb “in the midst of the people.”

[8:10]  ³⁰ tn Or “summoned, mustered.”

[8:10]  ³¹ tn Heb “the people.”

[8:10]  ³² tn Or “elders.”

[8:10]  ³³ tn Heb “went up.”

[8:10]  ³⁴ tn Heb “them” (referring to “the people” in the previous clause, which requires a plural pronoun). Since the translation used “army” in the previous clause, a singular pronoun (“it”) is required in English.

[8:11]  ³⁵ tn Heb “All the people of war who were with him went up and approached and came opposite the city.”

[8:11]  ³⁶ tn Heb “and the valley [was] between them and Ai.”

[8:12]  ³⁷ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[8:13]  ³⁸ tn Some Hebrew mss read, “spent the night in.”

[8:14]  ³⁹ tn Heb “When the king of Ai saw, the men of Ai hurried and rose early and went out to meet Israel for battle, he and all his people at the meeting place before the Arabah.”

[8:14]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “know.”

[8:14]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “that (there was) an ambush for him behind the city.”

[8:16]  ⁴² tn Heb “All the people.”

[8:16]  ⁴³ tc Some textual witnesses read “the city.”

[8:16]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “were summoned”; or “were mustered.”

[8:17]  ⁴⁵ tc The LXX omits the words “or Bethel.”

[8:17]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “who did not go out after Israel.”

[8:18]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Ai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:19]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “and ran.”

[8:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and they saw, and look.” The Hebrew term הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) draws attention to the scene and invites the audience to view the events from the perspective of the men of Ai.

[8:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and there was not in them hands to flee here or there.” The Hebrew term יָדַיִם (yadayim, “hands”) is idiomatic for “strength.”

[8:21]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “and that the smoke of the city ascended.”

[8:22]  ⁵² tn Heb “and these went out from the city to meet them and they were for Israel in the middle, some on this side, and others on the other side.”

[8:24]  ⁵³ tn Heb “residents.”

[8:24]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “in the field, in the desert in which they chased them.”

[8:24]  ⁵⁵ tc Heb “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed.” The LXX omits the words, “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword.” They may represent a later scribal addition.

[8:25]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “fell.”

[8:26]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “Joshua did not draw back his hand which held out the curved sword until he had annihilated all the residents of Ai.”

[8:27]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “according to the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua.”

[8:28]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and made it a permanent mound, a desolation, to this day.”

[8:29]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “on a tree until evening.” The words “leaving him exposed” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:29]  ⁶¹ sn For the legal background of this action, see Deut 21:22-23.

[8:29]  ⁶² tn Heb “to this day.”

[11:23]  ⁶³ tn Heb “took.”

[11:23]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “according to all which the Lord said to Moses.” The translation assumes this refers to the promise of the land (see 1:3). Another possibility is that it refers to the Lord’s instructions, in which case the phrase could be translated, “just as the Lord had instructed Moses” (so NLT; cf. also NIV “had directed Moses”).

[11:23]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their allotted portions by their tribes.”

[11:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “and to the kings who [are] from the north in.”

[11:2]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “Chinneroth,” a city and plain located in the territory of Naphtali in Galilee (BDB 490 s.v. כִּנֶּרֶת, כִּנֲרוֹת).

[10:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “do not let your hand drop from us.”

[10:6]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “your servants!”

[10:6]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “have gathered against us.”

[10:7]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “And Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the brave warriors.”

[10:8]  ⁷² tn Heb “I have given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.

[10:8]  ⁷³ tn Heb “and not a man [or “one”] of them will stand before you.”

[10:9]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “Joshua came upon them suddenly, all the night he went up from Gilgal.”

[10:10]  ⁷⁵ tn Or “caused to panic.”

[10:10]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “he.” The referent is probably Israel (mentioned at the end of the previous sentence in the verse; cf. NIV, NRSV), but it is also possible that the Lord should be understood as the referent (cf. NASB “and He slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon”), or even Joshua (cf. NEB “and Joshua defeated them utterly in Gibeon”).

[10:10]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “struck them down with a great striking down.”

[10:10]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “ascent.”

[10:11]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “on the descent of.”

[10:11]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “heaven” (also in v. 13). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.

[10:12]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day the Lord placed the Amorites before the sons of Israel and he said in the eyes of Israel.” It is uncertain whether the phrase “before the sons of Israel” modifies the verb “placed” (as in the present translation, “delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites”) or the verb “spoke” (“Joshua spoke to the Lord before the sons of Israel in the day the Lord delivered over the Amorites”).

[10:13]  ⁸² tn Heb “Is it not written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.” Many modern translations render, “the Scroll [or Book] of Jashar,” leaving the Hebrew name “Jashar” (which means “Upright One”) untranslated.

[10:13]  ⁸³ tn Heb “and did not hurry to set [for] about a full day.”

[10:14]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “listened to the voice of.”

[10:16]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “these five kings.”

[10:18]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “and appoint by it men to guard them.”

[10:19]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “But [as for] you, don’t stand still, chase after your enemies and attack them from the rear.”

[10:19]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “enter into.”

[10:19]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “has given them into your hand.” The verbal form is a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action.

[10:1]  ⁹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:1]  ⁹¹ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:1]  ⁹² tn Heb “as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he did to Ai and to its king.”

[10:1]  ⁹³ tn Heb “and how.”

[5:4]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “All the people who went out from Egypt, the males, all the men of war, died in the desert in the way when they went out from Egypt.”

[5:2]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “return, circumcise the sons of Israel a second time.” The Hebrew term שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) is used here in an adverbial sense to indicate the repetition of an action.