2
Yehoshua sent men from Yericho to `Ai, which is beside Beit-Aven, on the east side of Beit-El, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. The men went up and spied out `Ai.
3
They returned to Yehoshua, and said to him, Don't let all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike `Ai; don't make all the people to toil there; for they are but few.
4
So there went up there of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of `Ai.
5
The men of `Ai struck of them about thirty-six men; and they chased them [from] before the gate even to Shevarim, and struck them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
6
Yehoshua tore his clothes, and fell to the dirt on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the Zakenim of Yisra'el; and they put dust on their heads.
7
Yehoshua said, Alas, Lord GOD, why have you at all brought this people over the Yarden, to deliver us into the hand of the Amori, to cause us to perish? would that we had been content and lived beyond the Yarden!
8
Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after that Yisra'el has turned their backs before their enemies!
9
For the Kana`anim and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will compass us round, and cut off our name from the eretz: and what will you do for your great name?
10
The LORD said to Yehoshua, Get you up; why are you thus fallen on your face?
11
Yisra'el has sinned; yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yes, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff.
12
Therefore the children of Yisra'el can't stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they are become accursed: I will not be with you any more, except you destroy the devoted thing from among you.