וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אַל תִּירָא וְאַל תֵּחָת קַח עִמְּךָ אֵת כָּל עַם הַמִּלְחָמָה וְקוּם עֲלֵה הָעָי רְאֵה נָתַתִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶת מֶלֶךְ הָעַי וְאֶת עַמּוֹ וְאֶת עִירוֹ וְאֶת אַרְצוֹ

The Lord said to Joshua: Do not fear and do not be frightened; do not lose confidence. This time, take all the people of war with you, the entire army, and arise, go up to the Ai. Unlike the previous attack, this time you yourself must lead the forces into battle, as befits the leader of Israel. See, I have given into your hand the king of the Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land.

וְעָשִׂיתָ לָעַי וּלְמַלְכָּהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לִּירִיחוֹ וּלְמַלְכָּהּ רַק שְׁלָלָהּ וּבְהֶמְתָּהּ תָּבֹזּוּ לָכֶם שִׂים לְךָ אֹרֵב לָעִיר מֵאַחֲרֶיהָ

You shall do to the Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. You must destroy the city entirely, only the difference between this case and Jericho is that its spoils and its animals you shall plunder for yourselves. You may treat the city as any conquering army would, by taking its plunder for yourselves. But first, set for yourselves an ambush on the city, behind it, in a spot hidden from the sight of the city residents.

וַיָּקָם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל עַם הַמִּלְחָמָה לַעֲלוֹת הָעָי וַיִּבְחַר יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף אִישׁ גִּבּוֹרֵי הַחַיִל וַיִּשְׁלָחֵם לָיְלָה

Joshua and all the people of wararose to go up to the Ai; Joshua chose thirty thousand men, the mighty warriors, for an ambush, despite the earlier estimation of his spies that three thousand soldiers would be enough to conquer the small city (7:3). And he sent them at night.

וַיְצַו אֹתָם לֵאמֹר רְאוּ אַתֶּם אֹרְבִים לָעִיר מֵאַחֲרֵי הָעִיר אַל תַּרְחִיקוּ מִן הָעִיר מְאֹד וִהְיִיתֶם כֻּלְּכֶם נְכֹנִים

He commanded them, saying: See, you will be lying in ambush for the city from behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, and all of you be ready. Keep a certain distance, so that you will not be noticed, but stay within eyesight of the unfolding events, so that you can approach the city quickly.

וַאֲנִי וְכָל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אִתִּי נִקְרַב אֶל הָעִיר וְהָיָה כִּי יֵצְאוּ לִקְרָאתֵנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וְנַסְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם

I, and all the people who are with me, the rest of the army, will approach the city, to besiege it again; it shall be that when they, the men of the Ai, come out toward us, like the first time, and we will pretend to flee before them as we fled on the previous occasion,

וְיָצְאוּ אַחֲרֵינוּ עַד הַתִּיקֵנוּ אוֹתָם מִן הָעִיר כִּי יֹאמְרוּ נָסִים לְפָנֵינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשֹׁנָה וְנַסְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶם

they will come out after us, until we have separated them from the city. For they will say: They are fleeing before us like the first time. They will think that they again have the upper hand, and we will flee even more from before them, to take them far from the city.

וְאַתֶּם תָּקֻמוּ מֵהָאוֹרֵב וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּם אֶת הָעִיר וּנְתָנָהּ ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם בְּיֶדְכֶם

You shall get up from the place of the ambush, and you shall take possession of the city. Alternatively, this means you shall weaken or smash the city. When the men of the Ai emerge from it to chase us, the city will be left unprotected, and you will be able to attack it, as the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.

וְהָיָה כְּתָפְשְׂכֶם אֶת הָעִיר תַּצִּיתוּ אֶת הָעִיר בָּאֵשׁ כִּדְבַר ה' תַּעֲשׂוּ רְאוּ צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם

It shall be that when you seize, conquer, the city, you shall set the city on fire, to destroy it and also give us a sign; you shall act in accordance with the word of the Lord; see, I have commanded you.

וַיִּשְׁלָחֵם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל הַמַּאְרָב וַיֵּשְׁבוּ בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעַי מִיָּם לָעָי וַיָּלֶן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הָעָם

Joshua sent them, and they went to the ambush, and situated themselves between Beit El and the Ai, west of the Ai, closer to the Ai than Beit El, and Joshua stayed that night among the people, together with the warriors, as he wanted to be with them during the preparations for the battle.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּבֹּקֶר וַיִּפְקֹד אֶת הָעָם וַיַּעַל הוּא וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הָעָם הָעָי

Joshua arose early in the morning, and he counted the people. Alternatively, this means that he supervised or commanded the people. And he and the elders of Israel went up before the people to the Ai.

וְכָל הָעָם הַמִּלְחָמָה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ עָלוּ וַיִּגְּשׁוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ נֶגֶד הָעִיר וַיַּחֲנוּ מִצְּפוֹן לָעַי וְהַגַּי בֵּינָיו וּבֵין הָעָי

All the men of war who were with him went up, approached, and came across from the city; they encamped north of the Ai, without reaching the city. And the valley was situated between them and the Ai.

וַיִּקַּח כַּחֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים אִישׁ וַיָּשֶׂם אוֹתָם אֹרֵב בֵּין בֵּית אֵל וּבֵין הָעַי מִיָּם לָעִיר

He took some five thousand men, and he set them in another ambush, perhaps closer to the city than the other camp, between Beit El and the Ai, west of the city.

וַיָּשִׂימוּ הָעָם אֶת כָּל הַמַּחֲנֶה אֲשֶׁר מִצְּפוֹן לָעִיר וְאֶת עֲקֵבוֹ מִיָּם לָעִיר וַיֵּלֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא בְּתוֹךְ הָעֵמֶק

The people arrayed the entire camp that was north of the city, and its rear, the ambush, west of the city, and Joshua went that night into the valley to supervise his men from up close.

וַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת מֶלֶךְ הָעַי וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ וַיֵּצְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעִיר לִקְרַאת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַמִּלְחָמָה הוּא וְכָל עַמּוֹ לַמּוֹעֵד לִפְנֵי הָעֲרָבָה וְהוּא לֹא יָדַע כִּי אֹרֵב לוֹ מֵאַחֲרֵי הָעִיר

It was that when the king of the Ai saw the army in the north, the men of the city hastened, in their overconfidence and complacency, and came out early toward Israel to war, he and all his people, at the appointed time established beforehand, facing the Arava, the road that leads to the plains of Jericho; and he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city.

וַיִּנָּגְעוּ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיָּנֻסוּ דֶּרֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּר

Joshua and all Israel were assailed by them. They acted as though they were being overpowered by the men of the Ai. And they fled eastward, toward the wilderness.

וַיִּזָּעֲקוּ כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר בָּעַי לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּנָּתְקוּ מִן הָעִיר

All the people who were in the Ai were mobilized by the alarm sounded by the crier, to pursue them; they pursued Joshua and were separated from the city. When they heard that Israel was hurt and fleeing again, all the residents of the city joined the chase in order to finish them off and share the spoils.

וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר אִישׁ בָּעַי וּבֵית אֵל אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָצְאוּ אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת הָעִיר פְּתוּחָה וַיִּרְדְּפוּ אַחֲרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

Not a man remained in the Ai or Beit El, who did not come out after Israel; they left the city open, and pursued Israel. The inhabitants of nearby Beit El also participated in the chase.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נְטֵה בַּכִּידוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדְךָ אֶל הָעַי כִּי בְיָדְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וַיֵּט יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּכִּידוֹן אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ אֶל הָעִיר

The Lord said to Joshua: Extend the javelin that is in your hand toward the Ai, as I will give it into your hand. This was a prearranged sign for the men lying in ambush to attack, which also served as a symbolic act. Joshua extended the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

וְהָאוֹרֵב קָם מְהֵרָה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וַיָּרוּצוּ כִּנְטוֹת יָדוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ הָעִיר וַיִּלְכְּדוּהָ וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּצִּיתוּ אֶת הָעִיר בָּאֵשׁ

When they saw the sign of Joshua’s long weapon directed toward the Ai, the ambushers rose quickly from their place, and ran when he extended his hand, which was an order from afar that the time had come for them to leave their hiding place, and they entered the city, captured it, and quickly set the city on fire.

וַיִּפְנוּ אַנְשֵׁי הָעַי אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה עָלָה עֲשַׁן הָעִיר הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְלֹא הָיָה בָהֶם יָדַיִם לָנוּס הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה וְהָעָם הַנָּס הַמִּדְבָּר נֶהְפַּךְ אֶל הָרוֹדֵף

The men of the Ai, who discerned the commotion behind them, turned around, and saw: Behold, the smoke of the city was rising to the heavens. They did not have the ability to flee here or there, as they were surrounded by a huge number of fighters on all sides. And the people who had supposedly fled to the wilderness now turned back on the pursuers. Alternatively, this means that they turned back and themselves became the pursuers.

וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאוּ כִּי לָכַד הָאֹרֵב אֶת הָעִיר וְכִי עָלָה עֲשַׁן הָעִיר וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיַּכּוּ אֶת אַנְשֵׁי הָעָי

Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city rose, and they came back, changed direction or returned to their original spot, and smote the men of the Ai.

וְאֵלֶּה יָצְאוּ מִן הָעִיר לִקְרָאתָם וַיִּהְיוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בַּתָּוֶךְ אֵלֶּה מִזֶּה וְאֵלֶּה מִזֶּה וַיַּכּוּ אוֹתָם עַד בִּלְתִּי הִשְׁאִיר לוֹ שָׂרִיד וּפָלִיט

These, the other men of the Ai, or those waiting in ambush, came out from the city toward them, and they were in the midst of Israel, these on this side and those on that. The men of the Ai were surrounded on both sides by Israelite soldiers, with no way out. And they, the Israelites, smote them, not leaving of them a remnant or survivor.

וְאֶת מֶלֶךְ הָעַי תָּפְשׂוּ חָי וַיַּקְרִבוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ

They apprehended the king of the Ai, who had either remained in the city and was captured there, or had gone into battle with his men; they took him alive and brought him to Joshua.

וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל לַהֲרֹג אֶת כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָעַי בַּשָּׂדֶה בַּמִּדְבָּר אֲשֶׁר רְדָפוּם בּוֹ וַיִּפְּלוּ כֻלָּם לְפִי חֶרֶב עַד תֻּמָּם וַיָּשֻׁבוּ כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעַי וַיַּכּוּ אֹתָהּ לְפִי חָרֶב

It was when Israel finished slaying all the inhabitants of the Ai in the field, in the wilderness where they had pursued them, and they had all fallen by the sword until their annihilation, that all Israel returned to the Ai and smote it by the sword.

וַיְהִי כָל הַנֹּפְלִים בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא מֵאִישׁ וְעַד אִשָּׁה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר אָלֶף כֹּל אַנְשֵׁי הָעָי

All the fallen on that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, all the people of the Ai.

וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ אֲשֶׁר נָטָה בַּכִּידוֹן עַד אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱרִים אֵת כָּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָעָי

Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he extended the javelin, but left it outstretched until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of the Ai. Since the raising of the javelin signaled the start of the attack, as long as it remained in place the soldiers understood that they were to continue their advance.

רַק הַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁלַל הָעִיר הַהִיא בָּזְזוּ לָהֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּדְבַר ה' אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ

Only the animals and the spoils, the property, of that city, did Israel plunder for themselves, in accordance with the word of the Lord that He had commanded Joshua, that they must kill all the people but may take the spoils for themselves.

וַיִּשְׂרֹף יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אֶת הָעָי וַיְשִׂימֶהָ תֵּל עוֹלָם שְׁמָמָה עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

Joshua burned the Ai, and he rendered it an eternal mound, a desolation, to this day.

וְאֶת מֶלֶךְ הָעַי תָּלָה עַל הָעֵץ עַד עֵת הָעָרֶב וּכְבוֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ צִוָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּרִידוּ אֶת נִבְלָתוֹ מִן הָעֵץ וַיַּשְׁלִיכוּ אוֹתָהּ אֶל פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הָעִיר וַיָּקִימוּ עָלָיו גַּל אֲבָנִים גָּדוֹל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

He hanged the king of the Ai on a tree until evening time; with the setting of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they lowered his corpse from the tree, cast it at the entrance of the city gate, and established over him a great heap of stones, to this day.

אָז יִבְנֶה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ מִזְבֵּחַ לַה' אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהַר עֵיבָל

Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, God of Israel, on Mount Eival, in central Israel. In order to arrive there, Joshua first had to fight the inhabitants of the Ai and Beit El, who stood in his way.

כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד ה' אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כַּכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה מִזְבַּח אֲבָנִים שְׁלֵמוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא הֵנִיף עֲלֵיהֶן בַּרְזֶל וַיַּעֲלוּ עָלָיו עֹלוֹת לַה' וַיִּזְבְּחוּ שְׁלָמִים

Joshua did so, as Moses servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel to construct an altar on Mount Eival, with details on how it should be built and what should be done there, as it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses; so it was an altar of whole stones, on which no one had wielded iron; they offered up burnt offerings on it to the Lord, and they slaughtered peace offerings.

וַיִּכְתָּב שָׁם עַל הָאֲבָנִים אֵת מִשְׁנֵה תּוֹרַת מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

He wrote there on the stones a copy of the Torah of Moses, that he, Moses, had written before the children of Israel. This is referring to a summary of the commandments of the Torah. Others explain that this is referring to the entire Torah, or to the book of Deuteronomy. Joshua did this so that the other nations would know what is written in the Torah.

וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל וּזְקֵנָיו וְשֹׁטְרִים וְשֹׁפְטָיו עֹמְדִים מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה לָאָרוֹן נֶגֶד הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית ה' כַּגֵּר כָּאֶזְרָח חֶצְיוֹ אֶל מוּל הַר גְּרִזִים וְהַחֶצְיוֹ אֶל מוּל הַר עֵיבָל כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה עֶבֶד ה' לְבָרֵךְ אֶת הָעָם יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרִאשֹׁנָה

All of Israel, and its elders, its officers, and its judges, stood on either side of the ark facing the priests, the Levites, bearers of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, stranger like native, half of them, the people, opposite Mount Gerizim or on its slope, and the other half of them opposite Mount Eival. Alternatively, some translate this to mean that half the people were at the foot of Mount Gerizim and half were at the foot of Mount Eival. Everything was carried out as Moses servant of the Lord had commanded to bless the people of Israel originally. All the details of this ceremony of the blessings and curses are written in the Torah, which Joshua followed to the letter.

וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן קָרָא אֶת כָּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה כְּכָל הַכָּתוּב בְּסֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה

Thereafter, he read all the words of the Torah, the blessing and the curse, in accordance with everything that is written in the book of the Torah. There is a list in the Torah of commandments that were to be read out loud to all of Israel on this occasion.

לֹא הָיָה דָבָר מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה מֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר לֹא קָרָא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נֶגֶד כָּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְהַגֵּר הַהֹלֵךְ בְּקִרְבָּם

There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read before the entire assembly of Israel, and the women, the children, and the stranger who walked in their midst.