9. Then Joshua sent them to their place of ambush to wait. They went to a place between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua stayed the night with his people.
10. Early the next morning Joshua gathered his men together. He and the older leaders of Israel led them to Ai.
11. All of the soldiers who were with Joshua marched to Ai. They stopped in front of the city and made camp north of Ai. There was a valley between them and the city.
12. Then Joshua chose about 5,000 men. He set them in ambush in the area west of the city between Bethel and Ai.
13. So the people took their positions. The main camp was north of the city. The other men were hiding to the west. That night Joshua went down into the valley.
14. Now the king of Ai saw the army of Israel. So he and his people got up early the next morning and hurried out to fight them. They went out to a place east of the city. The king did not know soldiers were waiting in ambush behind the city.
15. Joshua and all the men of Israel let the army of Ai push them back. Then they ran east toward the desert.
16. The men in Ai were called to chase Joshua and his men. So they left the city and went after them.
17. All the men of Ai and Bethel chased the army of Israel. The city was left open. Not a man stayed to protect it.
18. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold your spear toward Ai. I will give you that city.” So Joshua held his spear toward the city of Ai.
19. The men of Israel who were in ambush saw this. They quickly came out of their hiding place and hurried toward the city. They entered the city and took control of it. Then they quickly set it on fire.