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Through My Bible Yr 03 – September 07

Joshua 8

The Capture of Ai

¹ The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid. Do not be overwhelmed. Take with you the whole military force ^[1] and get ready to go up to Ai. You see, I have given the king of Ai into your hand with his people, his city, and his land. ² You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king, but its plunder and its livestock you may take as spoils of war for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city on the west side of it.”

³ So Joshua and the whole military force got ready to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, strong warriors, and sent them out during the night. ⁴ He commanded them, “See to it that you set up an ambush against the city on its west side, not very far from the city. All of you are to be on alert. ⁵ Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When the men of Ai come out to face us just as they did the first time, we will flee from them. ⁶ They will come out after us until we lure them away from the city, because they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us just as they did the first time!’ and we will flee from them. ⁷ Then you are to spring up from the ambush and seize the city, and the Lord your God will give it into your hand. ⁸ When you have taken the city, you are to set the city on fire. According to the word of the Lord you are to act in this way. Look, I have commanded you.”

⁹ So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place for the ambush. They lay hidden on the