Twelve thousand men and women died that day, including all the men of Ai.

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

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

But the Israelites did not conquer the Geshurites and Maacathites; Geshur and Maacah live among Israel to this very day.

The land allotted to the tribe of Gad by its clans included these cities and their towns.

The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses.

The Israelites followed the Lord’s instructions to Moses and divided up the land.

When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, captured it, Caleb gave Acsah his daughter to him as a wife.

Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.

These cities belonged to the tribe of Benjamin by its clans: Jericho, Beth Hoglah, Emek Keziz,

Their border went up westward to Maralah and touched Dabbesheth and the valley near Jokneam.

When the Israelites heard this, the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to launch an attack against them.

The people responded, “Far be it from us to abandon the Lord so we can worship other gods!

Joshua said, “Now put aside the foreign gods that are among you and submit to the Lord God of Israel.”

until the Lord gives your brothers a place like yours to settle and they conquer the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to them. Then you may go back to your allotted land and occupy the land Moses the Lord’s servant assigned you east of the Jordan.”

tell them how the water of the Jordan stopped flowing before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. These stones will be a lasting memorial for the Israelites.”

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.”

The seven priests carrying the seven rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord marched along blowing their horns. Armed troops marched ahead of them, while the rear guard followed along behind the ark of the Lord blowing rams’ horns.

The rams’ horns sounded and when the army heard the signal, they gave a loud battle cry. The wall collapsed and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it.

He hung the king of Ai on a tree, leaving him exposed until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered that his corpse be taken down from the tree. 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).