1. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid. Don’t give up. Lead all your fighting men to Ai. I will help you defeat the king of Ai. I am giving you his people, his city and his land.
2. You will do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. Only this time you may take all the wealth. You may keep it for yourselves. Now tell some of your soldiers to set up an ambush behind the city.”
3. So Joshua led his whole army toward Ai. Then he chose 30,000 of his best fighting men. He sent these men out at night.
4. Joshua gave them these orders: “Listen carefully. You must set up an ambush behind the city. Don’t go far from it. Continue to watch and be ready.
5. I and the men who are with me will march toward the city. The men in the city will come out to fight us. Then we will turn and run away from them as we did before.
6. They will chase us away from the city. They will think we are running away from them as we did before. When we run away,
7. come out from your ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give you the power to win.
8. After you take the city, burn it. See to it! You have your orders.”