18
Then the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that
is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thy hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that
he had in his hand toward the city.
19
And those of the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand; and they entered into the city and took it and made haste to set the city on fire.
20
And 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 that were fleeing into the wilderness turned back upon their pursuers.
21
Then Joshua and all Israel, seeing that those of the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned and slew the men of Ai.
22
And the others issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side; and they smote them so that they let none of them remain or escape.
23
And they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24
And when Israel had finished slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword until they were consumed, all the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote it with the edge of the sword.
25
And so it was
that all that fell that day, both of men and women,
were twelve thousand,
even all the men of Ai.
26
For Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the spear until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27
But the Israelites took the beasts and the spoil of the city for themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he had commanded Joshua.
28
And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it a perpetual heap, desolate unto this day.