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1. Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid; don't give up. Lead all your fighting men to Ai. I will help you defeat the king of Ai. I am giving you his people, his city, and his land.
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1. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Joshua H3091 , Fear H3372 not H408 , neither H408 be thou dismayed H2865 : take H3947 H853 all H3605 the people H5971 of war H4421 with H5973 thee , and arise H6965 , go up H5927 to Ai H5857 : see H7200 , I have given H5414 into thy hand H3027 H853 the king H4428 of Ai H5857 , and his people H5971 , and his city H5892 , and his land H776 :
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2. You will do to Ai and its king the same thing you did to Jericho and its king. Only this time you can take all the wealth and animals and keep it for yourselves. You will share the wealth with your people. Now, tell some of your soldiers to hide behind the city."
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2. And thou shalt do H6213 to Ai H5857 and her king H4428 as H834 thou didst H6213 unto Jericho H3405 and her king H4428 : only H7535 the spoil H7998 thereof , and the cattle H929 thereof , shall ye take for a prey H962 unto yourselves: lay H7760 thee an ambush H693 for the city H5892 behind H4480 H310 it.
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3. So Joshua led his whole army toward Ai. Then Joshua chose 30,000 of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.
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3. So Joshua H3091 arose H6965 , and all H3605 the people H5971 of war H4421 , to go up H5927 against Ai H5857 : and Joshua H3091 chose out H977 thirty H7970 thousand H505 mighty H1368 men H376 of valor H2428 , and sent them away H7971 by night H3915 .
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4. Joshua gave them this command: "Listen carefully to what I tell you. You must hide in the area behind the city. Wait for the time to attack. Don't go far from the city. Continue to watch and be ready.
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4. And he commanded H6680 them, saying H559 , Behold H7200 , ye H859 shall lie in wait H693 against the city H5892 , even behind H4480 H310 the city H5892 : go H7368 not H408 very H3966 far from H4480 the city H5892 , but be H1961 ye all H3605 ready H3559 :
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5. I will lead the men with me; we will march toward the city. The men in the city will come out to fight against us. We will turn and run away from them, as we did before.
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5. And I H589 , and all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 are with H854 me , will approach H7126 unto H413 the city H5892 : and it shall come to pass H1961 , when H3588 they come out H3318 against H7125 us, as H834 at the first H7223 , that we will flee H5127 before H6440 them,
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6. These men will chase us away from the city, so we will run away. They will think that we are running away from them, as we did before.
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6. (For they will come out H3318 after H310 us) till H5704 we have drawn H5423 them from H4480 the city H5892 ; for H3588 they will say H559 , They flee H5127 before H6440 us, as H834 at the first H7223 : therefore we will flee H5127 before H6440 them.
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7. Then you should come out of your hiding place and take control of the city. The Lord your God will give you the power to win.
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7. Then ye H859 shall rise up H6965 from the ambush H4480 H693 , and seize upon H3423 H853 the city H5892 : for the LORD H3068 your God H430 will deliver H5414 it into your hand H3027 .
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8. "You must do what the Lord says. Watch me and I will give you the command to attack the city. When you have taken control of the city, burn it."
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8. And it shall be H1961 , when ye have taken H8610 H853 the city H5892 , that ye shall set H3341 H853 the city H5892 on fire H784 : according to the commandment H1697 of the LORD H3068 shall ye do H6213 . See H7200 , I have commanded H6680 you.
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9. Then Joshua sent them to their hiding place and waited. They went to a place west of Ai, between Bethel and Ai. But Joshua stayed the night with his people.
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9. Joshua H3091 therefore sent them forth H7971 : and they went H1980 to H413 lie in ambush H3993 , and abode H3427 between H996 Bethel H1008 and Ai H5857 , on the west side H4480 H3220 of Ai H5857 : but Joshua H3091 lodged H3885 that H1931 night H3915 among H8432 the people H5971 .
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10. Early the next morning Joshua gathered the men together. Then Joshua and the leaders of Israel led the men to Ai.
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10. And Joshua H3091 rose up early H7925 in the morning H1242 , and numbered H6485 H853 the people H5971 , and went up H5927 , he H1931 and the elders H2205 of Israel H3478 , before H6440 the people H5971 to Ai H5857 .
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11. All of the soldiers who were with Joshua marched to Ai. They stopped in front of the city. The army made its camp north of the city. There was a valley between the army and Ai.
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11. And all H3605 the people H5971 , even the people of war H4421 that H834 were with H854 him , went up H5927 , and drew nigh H5066 , and came H935 before H5048 the city H5892 , and pitched H2583 on the north side H4480 H6828 of Ai H5857 : now there was a valley H1516 between H996 them and Ai H5857 .
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12. Then Joshua chose about 5000 men. He sent these men to hide in the area west of the city, between Bethel and Ai.
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12. And he took H3947 about five H2568 thousand H505 men H376 , and set H7760 them to lie in ambush H693 between H996 Bethel H1008 and Ai H5857 , on the west side H4480 H3220 of the city H5892 .
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13. So Joshua had prepared his men for the fight. The main camp was north of the city. The other men were hiding to the west. That night Joshua went down into the valley.
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13. And when they had set H7760 the people H5971 , even H853 all H3605 the host H4264 that H834 was on the north H4480 H6828 of the city H5892 , and their liers in wait H6119 on the west H4480 H3220 of the city H5892 , Joshua H3091 went H1980 that H1931 night H3915 into the midst H8432 of the valley H6010 .
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14. Later, the king of Ai saw the army of Israel. The king and his people hurried out to fight the army of Israel. The king of Ai went out the east side of the city toward the Jordan Valley, so he did not see the soldiers hiding behind the city.
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14. And it came to pass H1961 , when the king H4428 of Ai H5857 saw H7200 it , that they hasted H4116 and rose up early H7925 , and the men H376 of the city H5892 went out H3318 against H7125 Israel H3478 to battle H4421 , he H1931 and all H3605 his people H5971 , at a time appointed H4150 , before H6440 the plain H6160 ; but he H1931 knew H3045 not H3808 that H3588 there were liers in ambush H693 against him behind H4480 H310 the city H5892 .
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15. Joshua and all the men of Israons will march in front of the Hback. Joshua and his men began running east toward the desert.
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15. And Joshua H3091 and all H3605 Israel H3478 made as if they were beaten H5060 before H6440 them , and fled H5127 by the way H1870 of the wilderness H4057 .
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16. The people in the city began to shout and started to chase them. All the people left the city.
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16. And all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 were in Ai H5857 were called together H2199 to pursue H7291 after H310 them : and they pursued H7291 after H310 Joshua H3091 , and were drawn away H5423 from H4480 the city H5892 .
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17. All the men of Ai and Bethel chased the army of Israel. The city was left open�no one stayed to protect the city.
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17. And there was not H3808 a man H376 left H7604 in Ai H5857 or Bethel H1008 , that H834 went not out H3318 H3808 after H310 Israel H3478 : and they left H5800 H853 the city H5892 open H6605 , and pursued H7291 after H310 Israel H3478 .
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18. Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Hold your spear toward the city of Ai. I will give you that city." So Joshua held his spear toward the city of Ai.
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18. And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 Joshua H3091 , Stretch out H5186 the spear H3591 that H834 is in thy hand H3027 toward H413 Ai H5857 ; for H3588 I will give H5414 it into thine hand H3027 . And Joshua H3091 stretched out H5186 the spear H3591 that H834 he had in his hand H3027 toward H413 the city H5892 .
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19. When the Israelites who were hiding saw this, they quickly came out from their hiding place and hurried toward the city. They entered the city and took control of it. Then the soldiers started fires to burn the city.
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19. And the ambush H693 arose H6965 quickly H4120 out of their place H4480 H4725 , and they ran H7323 as soon as he had stretched out H5186 his hand H3027 : and they entered H935 into the city H5892 , and took H3920 it , and hasted H4116 and set H3341 H853 the city H5892 on fire H784 .
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20. The men from Ai looked back and saw their city burning. They saw the smoke rising into the sky. So they lost their strength and courage. They stopped chasing the men of Israel. The Israelites stopped running away. They turned and went to fight the men from Ai. There was no safe place for the men from Ai to run to.
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20. And when the men H376 of Ai H5857 looked H6437 behind H310 them , they saw H7200 , and, behold H2009 , the smoke H6227 of the city H5892 ascended up H5927 to heaven H8064 , and they had H1961 no H3808 power H3027 to flee H5127 this way H2008 or that way H2008 : and the people H5971 that fled H5127 to the wilderness H4057 turned back H2015 upon H413 the pursuers H7291 .
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21. When Joshua and his men saw that his army had taken control of the city and that smoke was rising from it, they stopped running away and turned to fight the men of Ai.
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21. And when Joshua H3091 and all H3605 Israel H3478 saw H7200 that H3588 the ambush H693 had taken H3920 H853 the city H5892 , and that H3588 the smoke H6227 of the city H5892 ascended H5927 , then they turned again H7725 , and slew H5221 H853 the men H376 of Ai H5857 .
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22. Then the men who were hiding came out of the city to help with the fight. The army of Israel was on both sides of the men of Ai�the men of Ai were trapped. Israel defeated them. They fought until none of the men from Ai were left alive� none of the enemy escaped.
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22. And the other H428 issued out H3318 of H4480 the city H5892 against H7125 them ; so they were H1961 in the midst H8432 of Israel H3478 , some H428 on this side H4480 H2088 , and some H428 on that side H4480 H2088 : and they smote H5221 them, so H5704 that they let none H1115 of them remain H7604 or escape H6412 .
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23. But the king of Ai was left alive. Joshua's men brought him to Joshua.
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23. And the king H4428 of Ai H5857 they took H8610 alive H2416 , and brought H7126 him to H413 Joshua H3091 .
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24. During the fighting, the army of Israel chased the men from Ai into the fields and into the desert. So the army of Israel finished killing all the men from Ai in the fields and in the desert. Then the Israelites went back to Ai and killed all the people who were still alive in the city.
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24. And it came to pass H1961 , when Israel H3478 had made an end H3615 of slaying H2026 H853 all H3605 the inhabitants H3427 of Ai H5857 in the field H7704 , in the wilderness H4057 wherein H834 they chased H7291 them , and when they were all H3605 fallen H5307 on the edge H6310 of the sword H2719 , until H5704 they were consumed H8552 , that all H3605 the Israelites H3478 returned H7725 unto Ai H5857 , and smote H5221 it with the edge H6310 of the sword H2719 .
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25. All the people of Ai died that day; there were 12,000 men and women.
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25. And so it was H1961 , that all H3605 that fell H5307 that H1931 day H3117 , both of men H4480 H376 and women H802 , were twelve H8147 H6240 thousand H505 , even all H3605 the men H376 of Ai H5857 .
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26. Joshua had held his spear toward Ai as a sign to his people to destroy the city. And he did not stop until all the people of Ai were destroyed.
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26. For Joshua H3091 drew H7725 not H3808 his hand H3027 back, wherewith H834 he stretched out H5186 the spear H3591 , until H5704 H834 he had utterly destroyed H2763 H853 all H3605 the inhabitants H3427 of Ai H5857 .
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27. The Israelites kept the animals and other things from the city for themselves. This is what the Lord said they could do when he gave Joshua the commands.
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27. Only H7535 the cattle H929 and the spoil H7998 of that H1931 city H5892 Israel H3478 took for a prey H962 unto themselves , according unto the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 which H834 he commanded H6680 H853 Joshua H3091 .
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28. Then Joshua burned the city of Ai. That city became an empty pile of rocks. It is still like that today.
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28. And Joshua H3091 burnt H8313 H853 Ai H5857 , and made H7760 it a heap H8510 forever H5769 , even a desolation H8077 unto H5704 this H2088 day H3117 .
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29. Joshua hanged the king of Ai on a tree and left him hanging there until evening. At sunset, Joshua told his men to take the king's body down from the tree. They threw his body down at the city gate. Then they covered the body with many rocks. That pile of rocks is still there today.
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29. And the king H4428 of Ai H5857 he hanged H8518 on H5921 a tree H6086 until H5704 eventide H6256 H6153 : and as soon as the sun H8121 was down H935 , Joshua H3091 commanded H6680 that they should take his carcass down H3381 H853 H5038 from H4480 the tree H6086 , and cast H7993 it at H413 the entering H6607 of the gate H8179 of the city H5892 , and raise H6965 thereon H5921 a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 , that remaineth unto H5704 this H2088 day H3117 .
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30. Then Joshua built an altar for the Lord, the God of Israel. He built the altar on Mount Ebal.
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30. Then H227 Joshua H3091 built H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 in mount H2022 Ebal H5858 ,
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31. The Lord's servant Moses told the Israelites how to build altars. So Joshua built the altar the way it was explained in the Book of the Law of Moses. The altar was made from stones that were not cut. No tool had ever been used on those stones. They offered burnt offerings to the Lord on that altar. They also gave fellowship offerings.
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31. As H834 Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the Lord H3068 commanded H6680 H853 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 , as it is written H3789 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 of Moses H4872 , an altar H4196 of whole H8003 stones H68 , over H5921 which H834 no H3808 man hath lifted up H5130 any iron H1270 : and they offered H5927 thereon H5921 burnt offerings H5930 unto the LORD H3068 , and sacrificed H2076 peace offerings H8002 .
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32. There Joshua copied onto the stones the law Moses had written down. This was for all the people of Israel to see.
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32. And he wrote H3789 there H8033 upon H5921 the stones H68 H853 a copy H4932 of the law H8451 of Moses H4872 , which H834 he wrote H3789 in the presence H6440 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 .
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33. The elders, officers, judges, and all the Israelites were standing around the Holy Box. They were standing in front of the priests, the Levites who carried the Holy Box of the Lord's Agreement. The Israelites and the other people with them were all standing there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Ebal and the other half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim. The Lord's servant Moses had told the people to do this. He told them to do this to be blessed.
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33. And all H3605 Israel H3478 , and their elders H2205 , and officers H7860 , and their judges H8199 , stood H5975 on this side H4480 H2088 the ark H727 and on that side H4480 H2088 before H5048 the priests H3548 the Levites H3881 , which bore H5375 the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 , as well the stranger H1616 , as he that was born among them H249 ; half H2677 of them over H413 against H4136 mount H2022 Gerizim H1630 , and half H2677 of them over H413 against H4136 mount H2022 Ebal H5858 ; as H834 Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of the Lord H3068 had commanded H6680 before H7223 , that they should bless H1288 H853 the people H5971 of Israel H3478 .
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34. Then Joshua read all the words from the law. He read the blessings and the curses. He read everything the way it was written in the Book of the Law.
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34. And afterward H310 H3651 he read H7121 H853 all H3605 the words H1697 of the law H8451 , the blessings H1293 and cursings H7045 , according to all H3605 that is written H3789 in the book H5612 of the law H8451 .
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35. All the Israelites were gathered together there. All the women and children and all the foreigners who lived with the Israelites were there. And Joshua read every command that Moses had given.
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35. There was H1961 not H3808 a word H1697 of all H4480 H3605 that H834 Moses H4872 commanded H6680 , which H834 Joshua H3091 read H7121 not H3808 before H5048 all H3605 the congregation H6951 of Israel H3478 , with the women H802 , and the little H2945 ones , and the strangers H1616 that were conversant H1980 among H7130 them.
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