Joshua 8:21-35 ▼

21 When Joshua (YHWH saves) and all Israel (he wrestles with God) saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai (heap of ruins).

22 Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite (he wrestles with God) forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.

23 But they took the king of Ai (heap of ruins) alive and brought him to Joshua (YHWH saves).

24 When Israel (he wrestles with God) had finished killing all the men of Ai (heap of ruins) who had pursued them into the field and wilderness, and when every last one of them had fallen by the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and put it to the sword as well.

25 A total of twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai (heap of ruins).

26 Joshua (YHWH saves) did not draw back the hand that held his battle lance until he had devoted to destruction {cherem} all who lived in Ai (heap of ruins).

27 Israel (he wrestles with God) took for themselves only the cattle and plunder of that city, as the LORD {YHWH} had commanded Joshua (YHWH saves).

28 So Joshua (YHWH saves) burned Ai (heap of ruins) and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolation to this day.

29 He hung the king of Ai (heap of ruins) on a tree (He impaled the king of Ai on a pole) until evening, and at sunset Joshua (YHWH saves) commanded that they take down the body from the tree and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And over it they raised a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.

30 At that time Joshua (YHWH saves) built an altar on Mount Ebal (stone) to the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God),

31 just as Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD {YHWH} had commanded the Israelites (God prevails). He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: “an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool has been used .” And on it they offered burnt offerings to the LORD, and they sacrificed peace offerings.

32 And there in the presence of the Israelites (God prevails), Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the law of Moses (drawn out), which he had written.

33 All Israel (he wrestles with God), foreigners and citizens alike, with their elders, officers, and judges, stood on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the LORD {YHWH} facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim (cuttings off) and half of them in front of Mount Ebal (stone), as Moses (drawn out) the servant of the LORD had commanded earlier, to bless the people of Israel.

34 Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

35 There was not a word of all that Moses (drawn out) had commanded that Joshua (YHWH saves) failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel (he wrestles with God), including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.