Then the two men returned – they came down from the hills, crossed the river, ¹  came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered.

When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho ¹  and Ai,

Whenever the Israelites were strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them. ¹ 

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 

Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. ¹ 

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

When King Jabin of Hazor ¹  heard the news, he organized a coalition, including ²  King Jobab of Madon, the king of Shimron, the king of Acshaph,

When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. ¹  I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!”

She told them, “Head ¹  to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you. ²  Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you ³  to return. Then you can be on your way.”

When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us ¹  from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?” ² 

Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders left the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead and reported back to the Israelites in the land of Canaan. ¹ 

The rams’ horns sounded ¹  and when the army ²  heard the signal, ³  they gave a loud battle cry. ⁴  The wall collapsed ⁵  and the warriors charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. ⁶ 

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 

When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²  and all along the Mediterranean coast ³  as far as ⁴  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) –

As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from ¹  Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, ²  all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

The one who committed manslaughter ¹  should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. ²  They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. ³