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.
23
The king of `Ai they took alive, and brought him to Yehoshua.
24
It happened, when Yisra'el had made an end of killing all the inhabitants of `Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all Yisra'el returned to `Ai, and struck it with the edge of the sword.
25
All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of `Ai.
26
For Yehoshua didn't draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of `Ai.