Study Desk

And taking about five thousand men, he put them in position for a surprise attack on the west side of Ai, between Beth-el and Ai.

And the Lord said to Joshua, Let your spear be stretched out against Ai; for I will give it into your hands. So Joshua took up his spear, stretching it out in the direction of the town.

For Joshua did not take back his hand with the outstretched spear till the destruction of the people of Ai was complete.

But the cattle and the goods from that town, Israel took for themselves, as the Lord had given orders to Joshua.

So Joshua gave Ai to the flames, and made it a waste mass of stones for ever, as it is to this day.

And all Israel, those who were Israelites by birth, as well as the men from other lands living with them, and their responsible men and their overseers and judges, took their places round the ark, in front of the priests, the Levites, whose work it was to take up the ark of the Lord's agreement; half of them were stationed in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal, in agreement with the orders for the blessing of the children of Israel which Moses, the servant of the Lord, had given.

Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;

And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God: for the story of his great name, and of all he did in Egypt has come to our ears,

So the responsible men and all the people of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey and go to them, and say to them, We are your servants: so now make an agreement with us.

This bread which we have with us for our food, we took warm and new from our houses when starting on our journey to you; but now see, it has become dry and broken up.

This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.

Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.

Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?

Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.

And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.

And that day Joshua made them servants, cutting wood and getting water for the people and for the altar of the Lord, in the place marked out by him, to this day.

Now when it came to the ears of Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, that Joshua had taken Ai, and had given it up to the curse (for as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king); and that the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were living among them;

Come up to me and give me help, and let us make an attack on Gibeon: for they have made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel.

And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua to the tent-circle at Gilgal, saying, Be not slow to send help to your servants; come up quickly to our support and keep us safe: for all the kings of the Amorites from the hill-country have come together against us.

And the Lord said to Joshua, Have no fear of them, for I have given them into your hands; they will all give way before you.