When the king of Ai saw Israel, he and his whole army quickly got up the next day and went out to fight Israel at the meeting place near the Arabah. ¹  But he did not realize ²  men were hiding behind the city. ³ 

The border then descended southward to the Valley of Kanah. Ephraim was assigned cities there among the cities of Manasseh, ¹  but the border of Manasseh was north of the valley and ended at the sea.

As the Lord had instructed, they gave him the city he requested – Timnath Serah in the Ephraimite hill country. He built up the city and lived in it.

They assigned to the Gershonite clans of the Levites the following cities: ¹  from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter) and Beeshtarah, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of two cities;

from the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for one who committed manslaughter), Hammoth Dor, and Kartan, along with the grazing areas of each – a total of three cities.

Have seven priests carry seven rams’ horns ¹  in front of the ark. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the horns.

They marched around the city one time on the second day, then returned to the camp. They did this six days in all.

The seventh time around, the priests blew the rams’ horns and Joshua told the army, ¹  “Give the battle cry, ²  for the Lord is handing the city over to you! ³ 

They annihilated with the sword everything that breathed in the city, ¹  including men and women, young and old, as well as cattle, sheep, and donkeys.

But they burned ¹  the city and all that was in it, except for the silver, gold, and bronze and iron items they put in the treasury of the Lord’s house. ² 

Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho ¹  and its king, except you may plunder its goods and cattle. Set an ambush behind the city!”

I and all the troops ¹  who are with me will approach the city. When they come out to fight us like before, we will retreat from them.

They will attack ¹  us until we have lured them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are retreating from us like before.’ We will retreat from them.

All the troops that were with him marched up and drew near the city. ¹  They camped north of Ai on the other side of the valley. ² 

He took five thousand men and set an ambush west of the city between Bethel ¹  and Ai.

No men were left in Ai or Bethel; ¹  they all went out after Israel. ²  They left the city wide open and chased Israel.

But Israel did plunder the cattle and the goods of the city, in accordance with the Lord’s orders to Joshua. ¹ 

But don’t you delay! Chase your enemies and catch them! ¹  Don’t allow them to retreat to ²  their cities, for the Lord your God is handing them over to you.” ³ 

Joshua and the Israelites almost totally wiped them out, but some survivors did escape to the fortified cities. ¹ 

But Israel did not burn any of the cities located on mounds, ¹  except for Hazor; ²  it was the only one Joshua burned.