Now select for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one per tribe.

Joshua summoned the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one per tribe.

“Select for yourselves twelve men from the people, one per tribe.

When Joshua dismissed the people, they went to their allotted portions of land.

So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai.

They returned and reported to Joshua, “Don’t send the whole army. About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai. Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”

No one will be able to resist you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone.

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

Joshua and the whole army marched against Ai. Joshua selected thirty thousand brave warriors and sent them out at night.

He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel and Ai.

No men were left in Ai or Bethel; they all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.”

The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?”

The Lord told Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them, for I am handing them over to you. Not one of them can resist you.”

There has not been a day like it before or since. The Lord obeyed a man, for the Lord fought for Israel!

“The Lord drove out from before you great and mighty nations; no one has been able to resist you to this very day.

One of you makes a thousand run away, for the Lord your God fights for you as he promised you he would.

Joshua told them, “Go in front of the ark of the Lord your God to the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to put a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the Israelite tribes.

When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him holding a drawn sword. Joshua approached him and asked him, “Are you on our side or allied with our enemies?”

When you hear the signal from the ram’s horn, have the whole army give a loud battle cry. Then the city wall will collapse and the warriors should charge straight ahead.”