23. But the king of Ai was left alive. Joshua’s men brought him to Joshua.
24. During the fighting, the army of Israel chased the men from Ai into the fields and into the desert. So the army of Israel finished killing all the men from Ai in the fields and in the desert. Then the Israelites went back to Ai and killed all the people who were still alive in the city.
25. All the people of Ai died that day; there were 12,000 men and women.
26. Joshua had held his spear toward Ai as a sign to his people to destroy the city. And he did not stop until all the people of Ai were destroyed.
27. The Israelites kept the animals and other things from the city for themselves. This is what the Lord said they could do when he gave Joshua the commands.
28. Then Joshua burned the city of Ai. That city became an empty pile of rocks. It is still like that today.