Joshua 8

God Sets Joshua Up for the Win

1 God told Joshua, “Do not trip. Do not be scared. Take your whole squad and go back to Ai - I already gave it to you. Their king, their people, their land - it is yours.”

2 “Set a trap behind the city. This time, you can take their stuff - unlike Jericho. Same setup, different outcome.” So Joshua and the whole army geared up to ride out.

Joshua Sets the Ambush

3 Joshua and 30,000 skilled soldiers rolled out at night.

4 He told them, “Sneak behind Ai and lay low - stay ready.

5 Me and the main squad going to pull up from the front - When they run out to chase us like last time, we will fall back.

6 “They will think we are scared again and chase us. That is your cue to slide in and take the city.”

7 “Once they leave the city wide open, you all swoop in and light it up. God is handing it over.”

8 “When you all take the city, set it on fire - that is God’s order. I have said what I said.”

The Setup in Motion

9 Joshua sent the squad out to hide between Bethel and Ai. He spent the night with the main camp.

10 Early in the morning, Joshua gathered the troops and led them to Ai.

11 The front line set up across from the city. They were face-to-face with Ai.

12 Then he sent 5,000 more to hide west of the city, near Bethel.

13 Everyone was in position - the main army in front, the ambush behind. Joshua stood out in the valley, waiting.

Ai Falls for the Trap

14 As soon as Ai saw them, they came running out early to fight - Not knowing they were walking into a trap.

15 Joshua and his squad started falling back - playing scared like last time.

16 Every man in Ai chased them - They left the city empty.

17 Even Bethel’s men came out to help. Not a single soldier stayed behind.

Ambush Activated

18 Then God told Joshua, “Point your spear at Ai - I am giving it to you now.” So he raised his hand, spear in the air.

19 The ambush team saw it and moved quick - They rushed the city, took it, and set it on fire.

20 When Ai’s men looked back, they saw smoke rising from their city - They realized they got played and panicked.

21 Joshua and his crew saw the city burning and turned back around. Now it was on.

Total Victory

22 The ambush squad came out the city and hit Ai from the back. Now they were surrounded - no way out.

23 They caught the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

24 Israel wiped out every man from Ai, Chased them down in the open field, and dropped them all.

25 That day, 12,000 people from Ai - gone.

26 Joshua kept his spear raised ‘til every soldier of Ai was gone.

27 This time, they kept the loot and livestock - Just like God said.

28 Joshua burned Ai to the ground - Left it in ruins, a ghost town to this day.

29 He hung the king of Ai on a tree till sunset, Then tossed his body at the city gate And stacked stones on top of it as a warning.

Joshua Reads the Law at Mount Ebal

30 Then Joshua built an altar to God on Mount Ebal - Just like Moses had instructed.

31 He used uncut stones (no tools on them) And offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.

32 There he copied the Law of Moses on stones - In front of all the Israelites.

33 Everybody stood there - Israelites, foreigners, leaders, officers, and judges - Half in front of Mount Gerizim, half by Mount Ebal, just like Moses told them.

34 Joshua read every single word from the Law - The blessings and the curses.

35 Not one word was left out. Men, women, kids, and even foreigners - Everybody heard the Word that day.