1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.

1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shall thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them.

1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou may prosper withersoever thou goest.

1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shall make thy way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success.

1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not
afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest.

1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 1:11
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you
victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go
in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess
it.

1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe
of Manasseh, spoke Joshua, saying, 1:13 Remember the word which Moses
the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath
given you rest, and hath given you this land.

1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in
the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass
before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help
them; 1:15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath
given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your
God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your
possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on
this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

1:16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we
will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.

1:17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we
hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with
Moses.

1:18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will
not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall
be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and
came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2:2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came
men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the
country.

2:3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the
men that are come to thee, which are entered into your house: for
they be come to search out all the country.

2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There
came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 2:5 And it came to
pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that
the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them
quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them
with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

2:7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords:
and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut
the gate.

2:8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the
roof; 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given
you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the
inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea
for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings
of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og,
whom ye utterly destroyed.

2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you:
for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth
beneath.

2:12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I
have showed you kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my
father's house, and give me a true token: 2:13 And that ye will save
alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and
all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

2:14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not
this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the
land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her
house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

2:16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the
pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the
pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

2:17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this your
oath which thou hast made us swear.

2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shall bind this line of
scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou
shall bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy
father's household, home unto thee.

2:19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy
house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will
be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood
shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

2:20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of
your oath which thou hast made us to swear.

2:21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent
them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the
window.

2:22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three
days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them
throughout all the way, but found them not.

2:23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and
passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all
things that befell them: 2:24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the
LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the
inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from
Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and
lodged there before they passed over.

3:2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the host; 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye
see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the
Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after
it.

3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand
cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by
which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to
morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

3:6 And Joshua spoke unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the
covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of
the covenant, and went before the people.

3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify
thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was
with Moses, so I will be with thee.

3:8 And thou shall command the priests that bear the ark of the
covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of
Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear
the words of the LORD your God.

3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and
the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth
passeth over before you into Jordan.

3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel,
out of every tribe a man.

3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of
the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth,
shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be
cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall
stand upon an heap.

3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to
pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant
before the people; 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in
the brim of the water, (for Jordan overflows all his banks all the
time of harvest,) 3:16 That the waters which came down from above
stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is
beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain,
even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed
over right against Jericho.

3:17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD
stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the
Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed
clean over Jordan.

4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over
Jordan, that the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying, 4:2 Take you twelve
men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 4:3 And command ye
them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the
place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall
carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where
ye shall lodge this night.

4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the
children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 4:5 And Joshua said unto
them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of
Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder,
according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 4:6
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their
fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 4:7
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off
before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over
Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be
for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

4:8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up
twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spoke unto
Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of
Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they
lodged, and laid them down there.

4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the
place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant
stood: and they are there unto this day.

4:10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan,
until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak
unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the
people hasted and passed over.

4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over,
that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence
of the people.

4:12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the
tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as
Moses spoke unto them: 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war
passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

4:14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel;
and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

4:15 And the LORD spoke unto Joshua, saying, 4:16 Command the priests
that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of
Jordan.

4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the
soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the
waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his
banks, as they did before.

4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the
first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did
Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

4:21 And he spoke unto the children of Israel, saying, When your
children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean
these stones? 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying,
Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before
you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red
sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: 4:24
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that
it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

5:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which
were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the
Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up
the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were
passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them
any more, because of the children of Israel.

5:2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives,
and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

5:3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of
Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

5:4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people
that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died
in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

5:5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the
people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth
out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness,
till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt,
were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto
whom the LORD swore that he would not show them the land, which the
LORD swore unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that
flows with milk and honey.

5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua
circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not
circumcised them by the way.

5:8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the
people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were
whole.

5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the
reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is
called Gilgal unto this day.

5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the
passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of
Jericho.

5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after
the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the
old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any
more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted
up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against
him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and
said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 5:14 And he
said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto
him, What says my Lord unto his servant? 5:15 And the captain of the
LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for
the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of
Israel: none went out, and none came in.

6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into your hand
Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round
about the city once. Thus shall thou do six days.

6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven
times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with
the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall
fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight
before him.

6:6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them,
Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

6:7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and
let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

6:8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that
the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on
before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the
covenant of the LORD followed them.

6:9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the
trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on,
and blowing with the trumpets.

6:10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout,
nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out
of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

6:11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once:
and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the
ark of the LORD.

6:13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before
the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets:
and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the
ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned
into the camp: so they did six days.

6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early
about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same
manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven
times.

6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew
with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD
hath given you the city.

6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are
therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all
that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we
sent.

6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest
ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and
make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are
consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the
LORD.

6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets:
and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet,
and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down
flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight
before him, and they took the city.

6:21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and
woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the
sword.

6:22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the
country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman,
and all that she hath, as ye swore unto her.

6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab,
and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she
had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the
camp of Israel.

6:24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only
the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they
put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's
household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto
this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out
Jericho.

6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man
before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he
shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest
son shall he set up the gates of it.

6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout
all the country.

7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed
thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of
Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the
anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven,
on the east of Bethel, and spoke unto them, saying, Go up and view the
country.

And the men went up and viewed Ai.

7:3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the
people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite
Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but
few.

7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men:
and they fled before the men of Ai.

7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they
chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in
the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became
as water.

7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face
before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of
Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all
brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the
Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt
on the other side Jordan! 7:8 O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel
turns their backs before their enemies! 7:9 For the Canaanites and
all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us
round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto
thy great name? 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up;
wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and
they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for
they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and
dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

7:12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they
were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy
the accursed from among you.

7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow: for thus says the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed
thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before
your enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

7:14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your
tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall
come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD
shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD
shall take shall come man by man.

7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing
shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath
transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought
folly in Israel.

7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by
their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 7:17 And he brought
the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he
brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
7:18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of
Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was
taken.

7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to
the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now
what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against
the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 7:21 When I saw
among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels
of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted
them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the
midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and,
behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

7:23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them
unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out
before the LORD.

7:24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah,
and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons,
and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his
tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of
Achor.

7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall
trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and
burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

7:26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So
the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name
of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed:
take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I
have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city,
and his land: 8:2 And thou shall do to Ai and her king as thou didst
unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle
thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush
for the city behind it.

8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai:
and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent
them away by night.

8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait
against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city,
but be ye all ready: 8:5 And I, and all the people that are with me,
will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come
out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 8:6
(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the
city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first:
therefore we will flee before them.

8:7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city:
for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set
the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye
do. See, I have commanded you.

8:9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush,
and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua
lodged that night among the people.

8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people,
and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

8:11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him,
went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the
north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.

8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in
ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

8:13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on
the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the
city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

8:14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted
and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to
battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain;
but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the
city.

8:15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before
them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

8:16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue
after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from
the city.

8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out
after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

8:18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in
thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into your hand. And Joshua
stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

8:19 And 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 hasted and set the city on fire.

8:20 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 fled to the wilderness
turned back upon the pursuers.

8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the
city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again,
and slew the men of Ai.

8:22 And the other 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.

8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all
the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they
chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword,
until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai,
and smote it with the edge of the sword.

8:25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and
women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the
spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

8:27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey
unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he
commanded Joshua.

8:28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a
desolation unto this day.

8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as
soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his
carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of
the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remains
unto this day.

8:30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount
Ebal, 8:31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of
Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of
whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they
offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace
offerings.

8:32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses,
which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

8:33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges,
stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the
Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the
stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against
mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the
servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the
people of Israel.

8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and
cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua
read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and
the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side
Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the
great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the
Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and
with Israel, with one accord.

9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai, 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if
they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and
wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 9:5 And old shoes and
clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread
of their provision was dry and mouldy.

9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto
him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now
therefore make ye a league with us.

9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell
among us; and how shall we make a league with you? 9:8 And they said
unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are
ye? and from whence come ye? 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very
far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy
God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were
beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan,
which was at Ashtaroth.

9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke
to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet
them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a
league with us.

9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on
the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and
it is mouldy: 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were
new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes
are become old by reason of the very long journey.

9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the LORD.

9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to
let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore unto them.

9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made
a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors,
and that they dwelt among them.

9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities
on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and
Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of
the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And
all the congregation murmured against the princes.

9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn
unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch
them.

9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath
be upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them.

9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

9:25 And now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seemed good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

9:27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.