Study Desk

But keep a distance between yourelves and it of about a thousand yards — don't come any closer, so that you will understand which way to go, because you haven't gone this way before."

"No," he replied, "but I am the commander of Adonai 's army; I have come just now." Y'hoshua fell down with his face to the ground and worshipped him, then asked, "What does my lord have to say to his servant?"

But the city and everything in it is to be set aside for Adonai and therefore to be destroyed completely; only Rachav the prostitute is to be spared, she and everyone with her in her house, because she hid the messengers we sent.

But Y'hoshua spared Rachav the prostitute, her father's household and everything she had; and she has continued living with Isra'el from then until now; because she hid the messengers Y'hoshua had sent to reconnoiter Yericho.

But the people of Isra'el misappropriated some of the goods set aside to be destroyed; for ‘Akhan, the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y'hudah, took some of the things reserved for destruction. In consequence, the anger of Adonai blazed up against the people of Isra'el.

returned to Y'hoshua and told him, "Don't have all the people go up; but let perhaps two or three thousand men go up and attack ‘Ai. There's no point in making all the people exert themselves to get there, because there are only a few of them."

So from the people about three thousand men went up there, but they were routed by the men of ‘Ai.

Do to ‘Ai and its king as you did to Yericho and its king; but this time, take its spoil and cattle as booty for yourselves. Ambush the city from behind."

The king of ‘Ai saw this, so the men in the city hurried out early in the morning to battle against Isra'el, he and all his people, at a meeting-place facing the ‘Aravah. But he was unaware that behind the city an ambush had been laid against him.

But they took the king of ‘Ai alive and brought him to Y'hoshua.

But when the inhabitants of Giv‘ah heard what Y'hoshua had done to Yericho and ‘Ai,

They put old, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes; and took as provisions nothing but dried-up bread that was crumbling to pieces.

But they answered Y'hoshua, "We are your servants." Y'hoshua asked, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"

And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, now they're torn. Likewise these clothes of ours and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey."

The men sampled some of their food but didn't seek the advice of Adonai ,

But three days later, after they had made the covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, that they lived there with them.

The people of Isra'el did not attack them, because the leading officials of the community had sworn to them by Adonai , the God of Isra'el; but all the community grumbled against the leaders.

Yes, let them live," the leaders continued, "but let them chop wood and draw water for the whole community." This is what the leaders said.

But he did that same day make them choppers of wood and drawers of water for the community and for the altar of Adonai in the place which he would choose; and they remain so to this day.

But those five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah,