3. So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; [he] chose thirty thousand mighty men of strength and sent them forth by night.
4. And he commanded them, Behold, you shall lie in wait against the city behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
5. And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us, as the first time, we will flee before them
6. Till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, They are fleeing from us as before. So we will flee before them.
7. Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.
8. When you have taken the city, you shall set it afire; as the Lord commanded, you shall do. See, I have commanded you.
9. So Joshua sent them forth, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
10. Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the men, and went up with the elders of Israel before the warriors to Ai.
11. And all the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near before the city and encamped on the north side of [it], with a ravine between them and Ai.
12. And he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.
13. So they stationed all the army–the main encampment that was north of the city and their men in ambush behind and on the west of the city–and Joshua went that night into the midst of the ravine.
14. When the king [and people] of Ai saw it, they hastily rose early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle [at a time and place appointed] before the Arabah [plain]. But he did not know of the ambush against him behind the city.
15. And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten by them, and fled toward the wilderness.
16. So all the people in Ai were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.
17. Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. Leaving the city open, they pursued Israel.
18. Then the Lord said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. So Joshua stretched out the javelin in his hand toward the city.