Catholic Public Domain Version

Joshua 8:19-30 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

19. And when he had lifted up the shield toward the city, the ambush, which lay hidden, rose up quickly. And advancing to the city, they seized it, and set it on fire.

20. Now the men of the city who were pursuing Joshua, looking back and seeing the smoke of the city rising up even to heaven, were no longer able to flee in one direction or another, especially since those who had pretended to flee, and who were heading toward the wilderness, had turned back very strongly against those who were pursuing them.

21. And Joshua, and all of Israel, seeing that the city had been captured, and that the smoke of the city was ascending, returned and struck down the men of Ai.

22. Then too, those who had seized and set the city on fire, departing from the city toward their own men, began to strike the enemies in the middle. Therefore, since the adversaries were cut off from both sides, none of so great a multitude was saved.

23. Also, they apprehended the king of the city of Ai, alive, and they brought him before Joshua.

24. And so, after all were slain who had pursued Israel fleeing toward the wilderness, and after they fell by the sword in the same place, the sons of Israel returned and struck the city.

25. Now there were twelve thousand persons who had fallen on the same day, from man even to woman, the entire city of Ai.

26. Truly Joshua did not draw back his hand, which he had stretched out on high, keeping hold of the shield until all the inhabitants of Ai were put to death.

27. Then the sons of Israel divided among themselves the cattle and the plunder of the city, just as the Lord had instructed Joshua.

28. And he set fire to the city, and he caused it to be a perpetual tomb.

29. Also, he suspended the king on a gallows, until evening and the setting of the sun. And Joshua instructed, and they took down his dead body from the hanging tree. And they cast it at the very entrance of the city, gathering a great pile of stones upon it, which remains even to the present day.

30. Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,