Meanwhile ¹  the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River ²  near the fords. ³  The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. ⁴ 

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.”

They went ¹  to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them ²  to return. Their pursuers ³  looked all along the way but did not find them. ⁴ 

All the reinforcements ¹  in Ai ²  were ordered ³  to chase them; they chased Joshua and were lured away from the city.

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!”

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.

The Lord routed ¹  them before Israel. Israel ²  thoroughly defeated them ³  at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass ⁴  of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.

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 

One of you makes a thousand run away, ¹  for the Lord your God fights for you ²  as he promised you he would. ³ 

When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you arrived at the sea. The Egyptians chased your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.

The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures ¹  and defeated them on the steep slope. ²  The people’s ³  courage melted away like water. ⁴ 

When the men of Ai turned around, they saw ¹  the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. ²  In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers.

When Israel had finished killing all the men ¹  of Ai who had chased them toward the desert ²  (they all fell by the sword), ³  all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it.

The Lord handed them over to Israel and they struck them down and chased them all the way to Greater Sidon, ¹  Misrephoth Maim, ²  and the Mizpah Valley to the east. They struck them down until no survivors remained.

When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. ¹