The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.

they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.

Joshua said, “Roll large stones over the mouth of the cave and post guards in front of it.

When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai who had chased them toward the desert (they all fell by the sword), all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it.

Any man who rebels against what you say and does not obey all your commands will be executed. But be strong and brave!”

They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys.

Joshua said, “Open the cave’s mouth and bring the five kings out of the cave to me.”

That day they captured it and put the sword to all who lived there. That day they annihilated it just as they had done to Lachish.

They annihilated everyone who lived there with the sword – no one who breathed remained – and burned Hazor.

Pick three men from each tribe. I will send them out to walk through the land and make a map of it for me.

So the Israelites assigned these cities and their grazing areas to the Levites from their own holdings, as the Lord had instructed.

This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.

Now Joshua had instructed the army, “Do not give a battle cry or raise your voices; say nothing until the day I tell you, ‘Give the battle cry.’ Then give the battle cry!”

At sunset Joshua ordered his men to take them down from the trees. They threw them into the cave where they had hidden and piled large stones over the mouth of the cave. (They remain to this very day.)

That day Joshua captured Makkedah and put the sword to it and its king. He annihilated everyone who lived in it; he left no survivors. He did to its king what he had done to the king of Jericho.

The Lord handed it and its king over to Israel, and Israel put the sword to all who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to its king what they had done to the king of Jericho.

The Lord handed Lachish over to Israel and they captured it on the second day. They put the sword to all who lived there, just as they had done to Libnah.

They captured it and put the sword to its king, all its surrounding cities, and all who lived in it; they left no survivors. As they had done at Eglon, they annihilated it and all who lived there.

They captured it, its king, and all its surrounding cities and put the sword to them. They annihilated everyone who lived there; they left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king what they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

Joshua captured all these royal cities and all their kings and annihilated them with the sword, as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded.