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.

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

When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

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

But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua.

There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a duplicate of the law written by Moses.

Then Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, including the blessings and the curses, just as they are written in the law scroll.

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

Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish, but Joshua struck down him and his army until no survivors remained.

Joshua did to them as the Lord had commanded him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

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

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,

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

My countrymen who accompanied me frightened the people, but I remained loyal to the Lord my God.

The Ephraimites did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites live among the Ephraimites to this very day and do hard labor as their servants.

But the men of Manasseh were unable to conquer these cities; the Canaanites managed to remain in those areas.

The entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh and there they set up the tent of meeting. Though they had subdued the land,

But as for you, map out the land into seven regions and bring it to me. I will draw lots for you here before the Lord our God.

Joshua drew lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord and divided the land among the Israelites according to their allotted portions.