I and all the troops who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them.

All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley.

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 the middle of the valley.

All the reinforcements in Ai were ordered to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city.

When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai.

They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard.

They told him, “Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt

and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.

The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. The whole community criticized the leaders,

The leaders then added, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.

All Jerusalem was terrified because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities. It was larger than Ai and all its men were warriors.

Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. No one dared threaten the Israelites.

Joshua captured in one campaign all these kings and their lands, for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

These kings came out with their armies; they were as numerous as the sand on the seashore and had a large number of horses and chariots.

All these kings gathered and joined forces at the Waters of Merom to fight Israel.

Joshua and his whole army caught them by surprise at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.

But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, except for Hazor; it was the only one Joshua burned.

No city made peace with the Israelites (except the Hivites living in Gibeon); they had to conquer all of them,

and ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, all of Bashan to the border of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and half of Gilead as far as the border of King Sihon of Heshbon.