Joshua 8
8
Israel Destroys the Town of Ai
1-2The Lord told Joshua:
Don't be afraid, and don't be discouraged by what happened at the town of Ai. Take the army and attack again. But first, order part of the army to set up an ambush on the other side of the town. I will help you defeat the king of Ai and his army, and you will capture the town and the land around it. Destroy Ai and kill its king as you did at Jericho. But you may keep the livestock and everything else you want.
3-4Joshua quickly got the army ready to attack Ai. He chose 30,000 of his best soldiers and gave them these orders:
Tonight, while it is dark, march to Ai and take up a position behind the town. Get as close to the town as you can without being seen, and be ready to attack.
5-6The rest of the army will come with me and attack near the gate. When the people of Ai come out to fight, we'll run away and let them chase us. They will think we are running from them just like the first time. But when we've let them chase us far enough away, 7you come out of hiding. The Lord our God will help you capture the town. 8Then set it on fire, as the Lord has told us to do. Those are your orders, 9now go!
The 30,000 soldiers went to a place on the west side of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, where they could hide and wait to attack.
That night, Joshua stayed in camp with the rest of the army. 10Early the next morning he got his troops ready to move out, and he and the other leaders of Israel led them to Ai. 11They set up camp in full view of the town, across the valley to the north. 12Joshua had already sent 5,000 soldiers to the west side of the town to hide and wait to attack. 13Now all his troops were in place. Part of the army was in the camp to the north of Ai, and the others were hiding to the west, ready to make a surprise attack. That night, Joshua went into the valley.#8.13 valley: This may refer either to the Jordan River valley or to the valley between the Israelite camp and Ai.
14-15The king of Ai saw Joshua's army, so the king and his troops hurried out early the next morning to fight them. Joshua and his army pretended to be beaten, and they let the men of Ai chase them toward the desert. The king and his army were facing the Jordan valley as Joshua had planned.
The king did not realize that some Israelite soldiers were hiding behind the town. 16-17So he called out every man in Ai to go after Joshua's troops. They all rushed out to chase the Israelite army, and they left the town gates wide open. Not one man was left in Ai or in Bethel.#8.16,17 Ai or in Bethel: Hebrew; one ancient translation “Ai.”
Joshua let the men of Ai chase him and his army farther and farther away from Ai. 18Finally, the Lord told Joshua, “Point your sword#8.18 sword: Or “spear.” at the town of Ai, because now I am going to help you defeat it!”
As soon as Joshua pointed his sword at the town, 19the soldiers who had been hiding jumped up and ran into the town. They captured it and set it on fire.
20-21When Joshua and his troops saw smoke rising from the town, they knew that the other part of their army had captured it. So they turned and attacked.
The men of Ai looked back and saw smoke rising from their town. But they could not escape, because the soldiers they had been chasing had suddenly turned and started fighting. 22-24Meanwhile, the other Israelite soldiers had come from the town and attacked the men of Ai from the rear. The Israelites captured the king of Ai and brought him to Joshua. They also chased the rest of the men of Ai into the desert and killed them.#8.22-24 Joshua. They also chased … them: Or “Joshua. The men of Ai had chased the Israelites into the desert, but the Israelites killed them there.”
The Israelite army went back to Ai and killed everyone there. 25-26Joshua kept his sword pointed at the town of Ai until every last one of Ai's 12,000 people was dead. 27But the Israelites took the animals and the other possessions of the people of Ai, because this was what the Lord had told Joshua to do.
28-29Joshua made sure every building in Ai was burned to the ground. He told his men to kill the king of Ai and hang his body on a tree. Then at sunset he told the Israelites to take down the body,#8.28,29 take down the body: See Deuteronomy 21.22,23. throw it in the gateway of the town, and cover it with a big pile of rocks. Those rocks are still there, and the town itself has never been rebuilt.
Joshua Reads the Blessings and Curses
(Deuteronomy 27.1-26)
30-32 #
Dt 27.2-8;
Ex 20.25. One day, Joshua led the people of Israel to Mount Ebal, where he told some of his men, “Build an altar for offering sacrifices to the Lord. And use stones that have never been cut with iron tools,#8.30-32 use stones … iron tools: See Exodus 20.25. because that is what Moses taught in The Book of the Law.”#8.30-32 taught … Law: Or “commanded … Teachings.”
Joshua offered sacrifices to please the Lord#8.30-32 sacrifices to please the Lord: These sacrifices have been traditionally called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to please the Lord.” and to ask his blessing.#8.30-32 to ask his blessing: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “peace offerings,” or “offerings of well-being.” A main purpose was to ask for the Lord's blessing, and so in the CEV they are often called “sacrifices to ask the Lord's blessing.” Then with the Israelites still watching, he copied parts of The Book of the Law#8.30-32 Law: Or “Teachings.” of Moses onto stones.
33-35 #
Dt 11.29; 27.11-26. Moses had said that everyone in Israel was to go to the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, where they were to be blessed. So everyone went there, including the foreigners, the leaders, officials, and judges. Half of the people stood on one side of the valley, and half on the other side, with the priests from the Levi tribe standing in the middle with the sacred chest. Then in a loud voice, Joshua read the blessings and curses from The Book of the Law#8.33-35 Law: Or “Teachings.” of Moses.#8.33-35 the blessings … Moses: Or “all of The Book of the Law of Moses, including the blessings and the curses.”
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Joshua 8: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Joshua 8
8
Ai Conquered
1Yahweh said to Joshua, “Do not yield to fear nor shrink back because of Israel’s failure. Now, get up, take all your soldiers with you, and march against Ai. See, I have handed over to you # 8:1 Or “I have delivered into your hands.” the city, the king, his people, and his land. 2Do to Ai what you did to Jericho and its king, except this time, you may take the plunder, including livestock. Set an ambush behind the city.”
3Joshua and his entire army set out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand valiant warriors and sent them ahead by night 4with these instructions: “Now pay attention. Set an ambush behind Ai, but don’t hide very far away. Stay alert and ready for battle! 5I’ll lead the rest of the army and make a direct assault on the city, and when they come out to fight us, we’ll flee from them as we did the first time. 6When this happens, they’ll say to themselves, ‘Look! They’re running away from us, just like last time!’ And they’ll keep chasing us until we’ve lured them away from the city. While we’re running away from them, 7jump up from your hiding place, race into Ai, and seize it. Yahweh, your God, will deliver the city into your hands! 8When you’ve captured the city, set it on fire. Now that you have your orders, go and do as Yahweh has commanded!”
9Joshua then sent them off, and they proceeded to take up a concealed position west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel, while Joshua spent the night with the rest of the troops.
10So early the next morning, Joshua mustered his troops. He and the leaders of Israel went in front of the army and led them toward Ai. 11The entire fighting force with Joshua advanced until they were near the city and encamped north of Ai, # 8:11 Joshua encamped in plain sight of the enemy. with a valley between them and the city. 12He placed a smaller force of about five thousand men west of the city to set an ambush between Bethel and Ai. # 8:12 Some Jewish scholars (Rashi, David Kimchi) suggest that Joshua set a double ambush, one closer to the city than the other. One consisted of five thousand and the larger ambush, thirty thousand. 13The main fighting force north of the city prepared for battle, while the rear guard # 8:13 Or “his heel.” held a concealed position west of the city. Joshua spent the night in the valley. # 8:13 The Septuagint omits v. 13 entirely.
14At dawn, when the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he and his army rushed out to fight. They ran to attack Israel at a predetermined place en route to the Arabah, not knowing that an ambush had been set against them behind the city. 15Joshua and all the main fighting force fled toward the wilderness as though they were being overcome. 16Joshua’s tactic drew all of Ai’s reinforcements out of the city, and they set off in hot pursuit of Joshua and his men. 17Not a man remained in Ai or in Bethel # 8:17 The reference to Bethel is omitted in the Septuagint. who did not go out in pursuit of Israel, leaving their city undefended.
18Then Yahweh spoke to Joshua and said, “Now, take the spear in your hand and point it toward Ai, for I will hand the city over to you!” So Joshua pointed his spear toward the city, 19and when Joshua gave this signal, all the men waiting in ambush behind the city jumped up from their position and poured into Ai. They quickly captured it and set it on fire.
20-21When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of their city rising to the sky. Joshua and his men also saw the smoke and knew that the other Israelite soldiers had captured the city and had set it on fire. The army of Ai had no place to escape, so Joshua and his men turned on them and began killing them. 22The men who had taken the city came out and joined the battle, so the Israelites had them surrounded. Israel cut them down, leaving neither survivors nor fugitives. 23But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24Joshua’s men killed all the inhabitants of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them. They all fell by the sword. Then the Israelites turned to attack Ai and killed those who were still there. # 8:24 God did a miracle for Israel with Jericho’s walls crumbling, but with the battle of Ai, it was God’s brilliant strategy carried out by Joshua’s men that won the victory. Every battle in our lives requires that we seek God’s face and obey his instructions so that we will taste the joys of victory. Obedience to God’s plan is the key. Though God assured Israel of victory, they still had to discharge their responsibility. 25-26Joshua kept his spear pointed at Ai until the destruction was complete. Ai’s entire population, twelve thousand men and women, fell that day. 27However, the Israelites took the livestock and the goods captured in the city as Yahweh had instructed Joshua.
28Then Joshua burned Ai to the ground and reduced it to a mound of ruins for all time. It remains desolate to this day. 29And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until sunset. Then at sunset, Joshua had the corpse taken down and left it lying in front of where the city gates once stood. They raised a large pile of stones over his corpse, where it remains to this day.
Renewal of the Covenant at Mount Ebal
30Afterward, Joshua built near Mount Ebal a stone altar # 8:30 This altar was built at Shechem, about twenty miles from Ai, between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Ebal means “stripped of all covering,” “bare,” “naked,” or “barren.” The law etched upon stones exposes sin, leaves us guilty, and produces death (see 2 Cor. 3:7). to Yahweh, the God of Israel. 31He made it according to the teaching in the law of Moses, Yahweh’s servant. Moses had commanded them to build an altar using stones that had not been cut with iron tools. # 8:31 See Deut. 27:1–26. Building the altar without the tools of people teaches us that God alone made the ultimate altar, the cross of Jesus. Salvation is not through the hands of humankind but by the mercy of God (see Titus 3:5). The altar was to be on Mount Ebal, the place where the curses were read. God has provided an altar of salvation even when sin’s curse defeats us. Mercy’s altar stands on Ebal even when we feel stripped, bare, naked, and barren. On it they offered to Yahweh burnt sacrifices and fellowship offerings. # 8:31 Or “peace offerings,” “offerings of well-being,” or “communion sacrifices.” The fellowship offerings were given in gratitude to God. Only the fat was burned (see Lev. 7:29–34), and the rest was consumed by the people (see Lev. 10:14). 32And with the Israelites looking on, Joshua inscribed on stones the law which Moses had written.
33All Israel, including their elders, officials, and judges, stood on either side of the ark. Both native-born citizens and immigrants alike faced the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the Levitical priests who carried it. In front of half of them stood Mount Gerizim, # 8:33 Gerizim means “cut up” or “shorn place.” Jesus took our curse and was “shorn” and “cut up” for our sins (see Isa. 53:7–8). Israel renewed their covenant with Yahweh in the valley between Mount Ebal (ebal means “stripped of all covering,” a picture of the law) and Mount Gerizim (gerizim means “cut up,” a picture of the cross of Jesus Christ). The new covenant, the Spirit of Life, is now written upon our hearts. See Jer. 31:33; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb. 8:10; 10:16. and in front of the other half stood Mount Ebal, as Yahweh’s servant Moses commanded at first to bless the people of Israel. # 8:33 See Deut. 11:29. 34Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, # 8:34 See Lev. 26; Deut. 27–28. exactly as it was written in the scroll of the law. 35Joshua read aloud every word that Moses had commanded, and all the assembly of Israel heard it, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who accompanied them. # 8:35 See Neh. 8:1–12.
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