12
He took about five thousand men, and set them in ambush between Beit-El and `Ai, on the west side of the city.
13
So they set the people, even all the host who was on the north of the city, and their liers-in-wait who were on the west of the city; and Yehoshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
14
It happened, when the king of `Ai saw it, that they hurried and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Yisra'el to battle, he and all his people, at the time appointed, before the `Aravah; but he didn't know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.
15
Yehoshua and all Yisra'el made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
16
All the people who were in the city were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Yehoshua, and were drawn away from the city.
17
There was not a man left in `Ai or Beit-El, who didn't go out after Yisra'el: and they left the city open, and pursued after Yisra'el.
18
The LORD said to Yehoshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward `Ai; for I will give it into your hand. Yehoshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.
19
The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and entered into the city, and took it; and they hurried and set the city on fire.
20
When the men of `Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
21
When Yehoshua and all Yisra'el saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and killed the men of `Ai.
22
The others came forth out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Yisra'el, some on this side, and some on that side: and they struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.