12. He took about five thousand warriors and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.
13. Thus the people took up their stations, with the main body north of the city and the ambush west of it, and Joshua waited overnight in the valley.
14. The king of Ai saw this, and he and all his army came out very early in the morning to engage Israel in battle at the place in front of the Arabah, not knowing that there was an ambush behind the city.
15. Joshua and the main body of the Israelites fled toward the wilderness, pretending defeat,
16. until the last of the soldiers in the city had been called out to pursue them. Since they were drawn away from the city, with everyone pursuing Joshua,
17. not a soldier remained in Ai or Bethel. They abandoned the city, leaving it open, as they pursued Israel.
18. Then the Lord directed Joshua: Stretch out the javelin in your hand toward Ai, for I will deliver it into your power. Joshua stretched out the javelin in his hand toward the city,
19. and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose from their post, rushed in, captured the city, and immediately set it on fire.
20. By the time the army of Ai looked back, the smoke from the city was going up to the heavens. Escape in any direction was impossible, because the Israelites retreating toward the wilderness now turned on their pursuers;