Joshua

1Joshua, the leader of Israel, was the son of Nun. He sent two men from a camp called Shittim. He told them, "Go and look at the land. Look at the city of Jericho." The men went and came to the house of a woman named Rahab. She sold her body to men for money. They stayed the night there.

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

NoteA spy is someone who goes to look around secretly. Joshua sent the men to learn about the land first. Jericho was a city with a high wall all around it. Shittim was the camp where Israel was living, across the river.

2Someone told the king of Jericho, "Listen! Some men from Israel came here tonight. They came to look closely at our land."

And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

NoteBack then each city had its own king. This king ruled Jericho and the fields around it.

3So the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab. He said, "Bring out the men who came into your house. They came to spy on our whole land."

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

4But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, "Yes, some men did come to me. But I did not know where they came from.

And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:

5"They left when it was getting dark. It was almost time to shut the city gate. I do not know which way they went. Go after them fast. Maybe you can still catch them."

And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

NoteThe city gate was shut every night. Big walls and a strong gate kept enemies out. Nobody could go in or out until morning.

6But she had really taken them up to the flat roof. She hid them under stalks of flax spread out there.

But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

NoteFlax is a plant. People made cloth from it called linen. The stalks were laid out to dry on the roof. Roofs were flat then, like a porch on top of the house.

7The king's men ran after them, down the road to the Jordan River. They went to the shallow places where people cross. As soon as they left, the city gate was shut.

And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

NoteMost of the Jordan River was too deep to walk across. The shallow places are called fords. Soldiers went there because people crossing had to use them.

8The two men had not yet lain down to sleep. Rahab came up to them on the roof.

And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

9She said to them, "I know the LORD has given you this land. Everyone here is afraid of you. All the people in this land are shaking with fear.

And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

NoteLORD in big letters stands for God's own name. It was the special name God gave to Israel.

10"We heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea for you. That was when you came out of Egypt. We heard what you did to Sihon and Og. They were two kings of the Amorites, east of the Jordan River. You destroyed them completely.

For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

NoteIsrael had been slaves in Egypt for many years. When they left, God opened a dry path through the Red Sea. Rahab had heard that story, even far away in Jericho.

11"When we heard this, our hearts melted with fear. No man here has any courage left. Your God, the LORD, is God in heaven above and on earth below.

And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

NoteSaying a heart melted is an old way of speaking. It means the person felt weak and very afraid.

12"So please make me a promise before the LORD. I was kind to you. Please be kind to my family too. Give me a sure sign that you mean it.

Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:

NoteA promise made before the LORD is called an oath. It was the most serious kind of promise. People believed God himself was listening to it.

13"Promise to keep my father and mother alive. Keep my brothers and sisters alive too, and everyone with them. Save all of us from death."

And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

14The men said to her, "Our lives for your lives! If you do not tell anyone why we came, we will keep our word. When the LORD gives us this land, we will be kind and fair to you."

And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

Note"Our lives for your lives" is a strong way to promise. It means: if we break our word, let us die instead.

15Then she let them down on a rope through her window. Her house was built into the city wall. She lived right there in the wall.

Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

NoteThe city wall was thick and wide. Some houses were built right inside it. Her window looked out over the outside of the wall.

16She said to them, "Go up into the hills. Then the men chasing you will not find you. Hide there for three days, until they come back. After that you can go on your way."

And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

NoteThe hills near Jericho have many caves. Two men could hide there and not be found.

17The men said to her, "We will keep the promise you made us make. But only if you do what we say.

And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

18"When we come into this land, tie this red cord in your window. It is the same window you used to let us down. Bring your father and mother into your house. Bring your brothers and your whole family inside too.

Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

NoteThe red cord was a sign, like a mark on the house. Soldiers would see it and know to keep that house safe.

19"If anyone goes out your door into the street, that is his own fault. We will not be to blame if he dies. But if anyone stays inside with you, we are to blame if he is hurt.

And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

Note"His blood on his own head" is an old way of speaking. It means it would be his own fault, not theirs.

20"And if you tell anyone why we came, we are free. Then we do not have to keep the promise you made us make."

And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

21She said, "I agree. Let it be just as you said." Then she sent them away, and they left. And she tied the red cord in her window.

And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.

22The men went up into the hills and stayed there three days. The men chasing them searched the whole road. They did not find them. Then they came back.

And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.

23Then the two men came back down from the hills. They crossed the river and came to Joshua, the son of Nun. They told him everything that had happened to them.

So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:

NoteThey had to cross the Jordan River again. Israel's camp was on the other side.

24They said to Joshua, "The LORD has surely given us this whole land. All the people who live there are shaking with fear of us."

And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

1Joshua got up early in the morning. He and all the people of Israel left a place called Shittim. They walked to the Jordan River. They camped there before crossing it.

And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

NoteThe Jordan is a river. The people of Israel had to cross it. On the other side was the land God promised them. Shittim was the place where they had been camping.

2Three days went by. Then the leaders walked all through the camp.

And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

NoteThe people lived in tents while they traveled. All those tents together were called the camp.

3They gave the people orders. Priests would carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God. The leaders said, "When you see the ark go, leave your places and follow it."

And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

NoteThe ark of the covenant was a wooden box covered in gold. Inside were the stone slabs with God's rules on them. A covenant is a promise between God and his people. The priests came from one family group and helped people worship God.

4"But stay far back from it. Leave about two thousand cubits between you and the ark. Do not come close to it. That way you will see which way to go. You have never traveled this way before."

Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

NoteA cubit is about as long as a grown-up's arm. It runs from the elbow to the fingertips. Two thousand cubits is about half a mile. That is a long walk behind the ark.

5Then Joshua said to the people, "Make yourselves clean and ready for God. Tomorrow the LORD will do wonderful things among you."

And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

NoteGetting clean and ready meant washing and washing their clothes. People did this before something special with God.

6Joshua said to the priests, "Pick up the ark of the covenant. Carry it ahead of the people." So they picked it up and went ahead of them.

And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.

7The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will start to make you great in front of all Israel. Then they will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses."

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

NoteMoses led Israel out of Egypt long before this day. Moses had died, and Joshua was the new leader.

8"Give this order to the priests who carry the ark. Tell them, 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's water, stand still in the river.'"

And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

9So Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here. Listen to the words of the LORD your God."

And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.

10Joshua said, "Here is how you will know the living God is with you. He will surely drive out the people living in this land as you come. They are the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites."

And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

NoteThese were the groups of people already living in that land. Each name is one group, a bit like one country.

11"Look! The ark of the covenant belongs to the Lord of the whole earth. It will go into the Jordan River ahead of you."

Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

12"Now pick twelve men from the tribes, the big families of Israel. Choose one man from each tribe."

Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Each tribe came from one of Jacob's twelve sons.

13"The priests will carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth. When their feet touch the water, the river will stop. The water coming from upstream will pile up in a heap."

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

NoteA heap means a pile. The water would stack up like a wall.

14So the people packed up their tents to cross the Jordan. The priests carried the ark of the covenant in front of them.

And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

15It was harvest time, when the Jordan runs over its banks. The priests carrying the ark came to the river. Their feet touched the edge of the water.

And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

NoteHarvest time is when farmers cut their grain. In spring the snow melted on the mountains. That made the Jordan wide and deep and fast.

16Then the water coming from upstream stopped and piled up in a heap. It backed up far away, near the town of Adam, beside Zaretan. The water flowing down to the Salt Sea was cut off. So the people crossed the river near the city of Jericho.

That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

NoteAdam and Zaretan were towns far up the river. The Salt Sea is so salty that no fish can live in it. Jericho was a city with high walls around it.

17The priests held the ark and stood still on dry ground in the middle of the river. All the people of Israel walked across on dry ground. They kept going until every one of them had crossed the Jordan.

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

1All the people finished crossing the Jordan River. Then the LORD spoke to Joshua.

And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

NoteThe Jordan is a river. Israel had to cross it to reach their new land.

2God said, "Choose twelve men from the people. Take one man from each of the twelve family groups."

Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,

NoteIsrael was one big family with twelve groups in it. Each group came from one of Jacob's twelve sons. The King James calls these groups tribes.

3"Tell them to go to the middle of the river. Have them pick up twelve stones from there. Take the stones from the spot where the priests stood still. Carry the stones with you. Set them down where you sleep tonight."

And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.

NotePriests were special helpers who worked at God's tent. They led the people in worship and cared for holy things.

4So Joshua called the twelve men he had chosen. There was one man from each family group.

Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:

5Joshua said to them, "Go ahead of the ark of the LORD your God. Walk out to the middle of the river. Each of you lift one stone onto your shoulder. That makes one stone for each of Israel's twelve family groups."

And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

NoteThe ark was a golden box with a lid and poles. Inside were the stone slabs with God's rules on them. It showed that God was with his people.

6"These stones will be a sign for you. Someday your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean?'"

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

NoteA sign here means something you can see that helps you remember. The stones were like a picture that told a story.

7"Then tell them the water of the Jordan stopped flowing. It stopped in front of the ark of God's covenant. When the ark crossed the river, the water stopped. These stones will help Israel remember this forever."

Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

NoteA covenant is a strong promise between two sides. God promised to take care of Israel. Israel promised to listen to him.

8The people of Israel did just what Joshua said. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each family group. That is what the LORD had told Joshua to do. They carried the stones to their camp and set them down there.

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

9Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan. He put them where the priests with the ark had stood. Those stones are still there today.

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.

Note"Unto this day" means the stones were still there when this book was written. That was a very long time ago.

10The priests holding the ark stood in the middle of the river the whole time. They waited until everything the LORD told Joshua was finished. It was just what Moses had told Joshua to do. The people hurried across.

For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.

NoteMoses was the leader of Israel before Joshua. He led the people out of Egypt.

11When every person was across, the ark of the LORD crossed too. The priests carried it over while all the people watched.

And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.

12The men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the family of Manasseh went across in front. They were ready for battle, just as Moses had told them.

And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them:

NoteThese three family groups already had their land on the other side of the river. They still crossed over to help the others fight.

13About forty thousand soldiers crossed over, ready to fight. They marched before the LORD to the flat land near the city of Jericho.

About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

NoteJericho was a city near the river. It had strong, high walls around it.

14That day the LORD made Joshua great in front of all Israel. The people looked up to Joshua for the rest of his life. They honored him the same way they had honored Moses.

On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

NoteThe King James says the people "feared" Joshua. Here it means they showed him great respect. It does not mean they were scared of him.

15Then the LORD spoke to Joshua.

And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,

16God said, "Tell the priests to bring the ark up out of the Jordan."

Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

Note"The ark of the testimony" is the same golden box. The testimony means the stone slabs inside with God's rules on them.

17So Joshua told the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."

Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan.

18The priests carried the ark up out of the middle of the river. As soon as their feet touched dry ground, the water came back. The Jordan filled up and spilled over its banks, just like before.

And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.

19The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month. They set up camp at Gilgal, east of the city of Jericho.

And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

NoteIsrael's year began in the spring. So this day was springtime.

20There at Gilgal, Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.

And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

21He said to the people of Israel, "Someday your children will ask their fathers about these stones. They will say, 'What do these stones mean?'"

And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?

22"Then tell your children, 'Israel walked across this Jordan River on dry ground.'"

Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

23"The LORD your God dried up the water of the Jordan until you were all across. He did the same thing at the Red Sea long ago. He dried it up until we had all gone over."

For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:

NoteLong before this, God opened a path through the Red Sea. Israel walked out of Egypt on dry ground.

24"He did this so people everywhere would know how strong the LORD is. And he did it so you would always honor and obey the LORD your God."

That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

Note"The hand of the LORD" is a way of saying God's power. Hands are what people use to do strong work.

1All the Amorite kings west of the Jordan River heard the news. So did the Canaanite kings near the sea. They heard that the LORD had dried up the Jordan River. Israel had walked across it. When the kings heard this, their courage melted away. They were too afraid of Israel to fight.

And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

NoteThe Amorites and Canaanites were people already living in that land. They lived in cities with kings, and each king ruled his own city. When the Bible writes LORD in big letters, it means God's own special name.

2At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make knives out of sharp stone. Circumcise the men of Israel again." It was the sign that a boy belonged to God's people.

At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

NoteCircumcision was a small cut made on a boy's body. It left a mark that showed he belonged to God's people. Long ago people made very sharp knives out of stone.

3So Joshua made knives of sharp stone. He circumcised the men of Israel at a hill. The hill was named for what happened there.

And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

NoteThe hill got its name from what was done there that day. People often named a place after something that happened at it.

4This is why Joshua did it. Every man who left Egypt, every man old enough to fight, had died. They died in the desert along the way.

And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

NoteMen old enough to fight means men who could be soldiers. The desert was dry, empty land with few plants and little water.

5The men who came out of Egypt had all been circumcised. But the boys born in the desert on the way had not.

Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

6Israel walked in the desert for forty years. They walked until all the fighting men who left Egypt had died. That happened because those men did not obey the LORD. So the LORD said they would never see the land. It was the land he had promised to give to our fathers. It is a rich land, full of milk and honey.

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

NoteOur fathers means the family who lived long before them. Think of your grandparents' grandparents. Milk and honey is a way of saying the land was rich. There was grass for animals and flowers for bees, so there was plenty to eat.

7God gave those men sons to take their place. Joshua circumcised these sons. No one had circumcised them during the journey.

And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.

8When all the men had been circumcised, they stayed in the camp. They rested there until they were healed.

And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.

NoteThe cut was sore and took several days to get better. So the whole camp waited and rested until the men felt well.

9Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled the shame of Egypt away from you." That is why the place is called Gilgal, even today.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

NoteIsrael had been slaves in Egypt, and that felt like a shame to them. God says that shame is now gone, like a stone rolled away. The name Gilgal sounds like their word for rolling.

10Israel camped at Gilgal, on the flat land near Jericho. On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, they kept the Passover.

And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

NoteIsrael counted months by the moon, so this was springtime. Their new day started in the evening, when the sun went down. Jericho was a city nearby with a strong wall around it. Passover was the meal that remembered the night God brought Israel out of Egypt.

11The next day they ate food grown in that land. They ate flat bread made without yeast, and roasted grain. They ate it that very same day.

And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

NoteYeast is what makes bread rise and puff up. Bread without it stays flat and thin. The King James Bible says corn here, but it does not mean yellow corn on a cob. In 1611 corn meant any kind of grain, like wheat or barley.

12The day after they ate the land's food, the manna stopped. Manna was the bread God sent them each morning in the desert. Israel never had manna again. That year they ate the crops of Canaan.

And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

NoteManna looked like small white flakes lying on the ground. People gathered it early and made it into food.

13Joshua was near Jericho. He looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man held a sword in his hand, ready to use. Joshua walked up to him and asked, "Are you on our side, or on our enemies' side?"

And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?

NoteThe man had already pulled his sword out of its case. That meant he was ready to fight right then.

14The man said, "Neither. I have come as the commander of the LORD's army." Joshua bowed down with his face to the ground and worshiped. He said, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

NoteA commander is the leader who tells an army what to do. Bowing with your face to the ground showed great respect. Calling himself a servant meant Joshua was ready to obey.

15The commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals. The place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did it.

And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

NoteHoly means special, set apart because God is there. People took their sandals off on holy ground to show respect. Moses was told the very same thing at the burning bush.

1The city of Jericho was shut up tight. This was because the people of Israel were close by. No one went out, and no one came in.

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.

NoteJericho was a city with a tall, thick wall all around it. Cities built walls to keep enemies out. The King James says "children of Israel." That means all the people of Israel, grown-ups too.

2The LORD said to Joshua, "Look, I have handed Jericho over to you. Its king and its strong soldiers are yours."

And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own name. "Mighty men of valour" means brave, strong soldiers.

3"March around the city one time. All your fighting men must go with you. Do this for six days."

And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

Note"Compass the city" is an old way of saying go all the way around it. Jericho was small, so walking around it did not take long.

4"Seven priests must carry seven trumpets made from rams' horns. They must walk in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times. The priests must blow the horns as you go."

And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

NoteA priest was a man who did God's work for the people. The ark was a special box the priests carried. These trumpets were made from the curled horn of a male sheep. A horn like that makes a loud, deep sound.

5"They will blow one long blast on the ram's horn. When you hear that sound, all the people must shout loudly. Then the wall of the city will fall down flat. Each man will climb straight up into the city."

And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.

Note"Ascend up every man straight before him" means each man went straight ahead. Nobody walked around to find the gate. They climbed in right where they were standing.

6So Joshua, the son of Nun, called the priests together. He said, "Pick up the ark of the agreement. Seven priests must carry seven ram's horn trumpets in front of it."

And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.

NoteThe ark was a wooden box covered in gold. Inside were the stone slabs with God's rules on them. The agreement was a promise between God and the people of Israel. That is why the King James calls it "the ark of the covenant." Covenant is an old word for agreement.

7He told the people, "Go forward and march around the city. The soldiers with weapons must walk ahead of the ark of the LORD."

And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

8When Joshua finished speaking, the seven priests went forward. They carried the seven ram's horn trumpets and blew them. The ark of the LORD's agreement came right behind them.

And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.

9Armed soldiers walked in front of the priests who blew the horns. Other soldiers guarded the back, behind the ark. The priests kept walking and kept blowing the horns.

And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

Note"Rereward" is an old spelling of rear guard. Those were the soldiers who walked last. They watched behind, so no one could sneak up on the group.

10Joshua had told the people, "Do not shout. Do not make any sound with your voice. Do not let one word come out of your mouth. Wait until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!"

And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

NoteArmies back then usually yelled loudly when they came near a city. Marching in silence would have seemed very strange to the people watching.

11So the ark of the LORD was carried around the city one time. Then the people went back to their camp and slept there.

So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

12Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests picked up the ark of the LORD.

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.

13The seven priests carried the seven ram's horn trumpets in front of the ark. They kept marching and kept blowing the horns. Armed soldiers walked ahead of them. Other soldiers came behind the ark. The priests kept blowing the horns as they went.

And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

NoteThey did the same thing every day for six days. Doing it the same way each time was part of the plan.

14On the second day they marched around the city one time. Then they went back to the camp. They did this for six days.

And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

15On the seventh day they got up at dawn. They marched around the city the same way as before. But this time they went around seven times. That was the only day they did that.

And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.

NoteDawn is the very first light of the morning. The sun is just starting to come up.

16The seventh time around, the priests blew the horns. Joshua said to the people, "Shout! The LORD has given you the city!"

And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.

17"The city and everything in it must be given to the LORD and destroyed. Only Rahab and everyone in her house will live. She will live because she hid the men we sent."

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

NoteIn those days a city could be given over to God. That meant nobody was allowed to keep anything from it. No treasure, no animals, nothing taken home. The King James calls this "accursed." Rahab lived inside Jericho. Two men from Israel had come to look at the city. She hid them so no one would find them.

18"Stay away from the things that are marked for destruction. If you take any of them, you bring that destruction on yourself. You would also bring big trouble on the whole camp of Israel."

And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

Note"The accursed thing" means anything from Jericho that a soldier might sneak away. Keeping even one thing would bring trouble on everyone.

19"All the silver, gold, bronze, and iron things belong to the LORD. They must be put into the LORD's treasure room."

But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

NoteThe King James says "brass," but the metal was really bronze. Bronze is copper mixed with tin. A treasury was a room where valuable things were kept safe.

20So the priests blew the horns, and the people shouted. When they heard the horn, they gave a great shout. The wall fell down flat. The people went straight up into the city and took it.

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

21They destroyed everything in the city with their swords. They killed men and women, young people and old people. They killed the cows, the sheep, and the donkeys too.

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

NoteThis was a war, and wars then were terrible. "With the edge of the sword" is an old way of saying the soldiers killed them.

22Joshua had spoken to the two men who spied on the land. He said, "Go into the woman's house. Bring her out, and everyone who belongs to her. You made her a promise, so keep it."

But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot’s house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

NoteA spy is someone sent quietly to look at a place. Then he goes home and tells what he saw. "As ye sware" means the promise the two men had made out loud.

23So the two young spies went in. They brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, and her brothers. They brought out her whole family. They settled them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.

NoteIn the King James, "without the camp" means outside the camp. It does not mean they had no camp. Rahab's family were not part of Israel yet. So they waited just outside until they could join.

24Then the people burned the city and everything in it. But they kept the silver, the gold, and the bronze and iron things. Those were put into the treasure room of the LORD's house.

And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

25Joshua let Rahab live, along with her father's family and all who belonged to her. He did this because she hid the men he sent to spy on Jericho. She has lived among the people of Israel ever since.

And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Note"Even unto this day" tells us something about the writer. He wrote this long afterward. Rahab's family were still living with Israel in his time.

26Then Joshua made the people take a serious promise. He said, "May the LORD curse the man who builds Jericho again. He will lose his oldest son when he lays the first stones. He will lose his youngest son when he sets up the gates."

And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.

NoteA curse was strong words asking for bad things to come to someone. Joshua made everyone promise out loud never to build Jericho again. The foundation is the first row of stones at the bottom of a wall. "His firstborn" means his oldest child. The gates were the big doors in the city wall, built last of all.

27So the LORD was with Joshua. News about Joshua spread through the whole land.

So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country.

Note"His fame was noised" is an old way to say the news spread. People everywhere were talking about Joshua.

1But the people of Israel did wrong. Some things taken from Jericho were set apart for God. Nobody was allowed to keep them. Achan took some of them anyway. Achan was the son of Carmi. Carmi was the son of Zabdi. Zabdi was the son of Zerah. Their family belonged to the tribe of Judah. So the LORD became angry with all Israel.

But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

NoteA tribe was one big family group. Israel had twelve of them, all cousins.

2Joshua sent some men from Jericho to a town called Ai. Ai was near Beth-aven, just east of Bethel. Joshua told them, "Go and look at the land." So the men went and looked at Ai.

And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

Note"Go and look at the land" means go quietly and spy. They wanted to see how strong the town was.

3They came back to Joshua with their report. They said, "You do not need to send everyone. Send about two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Do not make all the people walk there and get tired. There are only a few people in Ai."

And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.

4So about three thousand men went up to fight. But they ran away from the men of Ai.

So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.

5The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them. They chased them from the town gate all the way to Shebarim. They struck them down on the slope going down. Then the people of Israel lost all their courage. Their hearts turned soft as water.

And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

NoteShebarim was a rocky place near Ai. People may have cut stones there.

6Joshua tore his clothes to show how sad he was. He lay face down on the ground in front of the ark of the LORD. He stayed there until evening. The leaders of Israel did the same. They put dust on their heads to show their grief.

And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

NoteTearing your clothes was how people showed great sadness. Putting dust on your head meant the same thing. The ark was the special chest that showed God was with them.

7Joshua said, "Oh, Lord GOD, why did You bring us across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites, so they could destroy us? I wish we had been happy to stay on the other side."

And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!

NoteThe Amorites were one of the groups of people living in that land.

8"Lord, what can I say now? Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies."

O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

9"The Canaanites and everyone else in this land will hear about it. They will surround us and wipe us out. Nobody will remember our name at all. And then what will You do about Your own great name?"

For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?

NoteThe Canaanites were the people who lived in the land of Canaan. Israel had just come there.

10The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why are you lying here on your face?"

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

11"Israel has sinned. They broke the promise I told them to keep. They took some of the things that were set apart. They stole them. They lied about it. They hid them with their own things."

Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

NoteA promise like this one is called a covenant. It was a deal God and the people agreed to keep.

12"That is why Israel cannot stand up to their enemies. They turn their backs and run. They are now under the same doom as the stolen things. I will not stay with you any longer. First you must destroy the set-apart things kept among you."

Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

13"Get up. Make the people clean and ready to meet God. Tell them, 'Get yourselves ready for tomorrow. The LORD, the God of Israel, says this. Someone among you is keeping something that was set apart. You cannot stand up to your enemies until you take it away.'"

Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

NoteGetting ready meant washing and putting on clean clothes. People did this before coming close to God.

14"In the morning, come forward one tribe at a time. The LORD will point out one tribe. That tribe will come forward, one family group at a time. The LORD will point out one group. That group will come forward, one household at a time. Then that household will come forward, one man at a time."

In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.

NoteGod pointed out the right person by a kind of drawing of straws. It was called casting lots.

15"The man found with the set-apart things will be burned with fire. Everything he owns will burn too. He broke the promise he made to the LORD. He did a shameful thing in Israel."

And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

16Early the next morning Joshua brought Israel forward, tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was picked out.

So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:

17He brought the family groups of Judah forward. The group called the Zerahites was picked out. Then the Zerahites came forward, one man at a time. Zabdi was picked out.

And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:

18Then Zabdi's household came forward, one man at a time. Achan was picked out. He was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.

And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

19Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give honor to the LORD, the God of Israel. Tell him the truth about what you did. Please tell me too. Do not hide it from me."

And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

Note"Give honor to the LORD" meant telling the whole truth. Hiding it would be an insult to God.

20Achan answered Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did."

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

21"I saw good things among the goods taken from Jericho. There was a beautiful coat from Babylon. There was silver, about five pounds of it. There was a bar of gold weighing over one pound. I wanted them very much, so I took them. They are buried in the ground inside my tent. The silver is at the bottom."

When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

NoteBabylon was a rich city far away. A coat from there was rare and costly.

22So Joshua sent men, and they ran to the tent. The things were there, hidden in his tent. The silver was underneath, just as he said.

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

23They took the things out of the tent. They brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. They laid them out before the LORD.

And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.

24Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, the son of Zerah. They took the silver, the coat, and the bar of gold. They took his sons and his daughters. They took his cattle, his donkeys, and his sheep. They took his tent and everything he owned. They brought them all to the Valley of Achor.

And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.

25Joshua said, "Why did you bring this trouble on us? Today the LORD will bring trouble on you." Then all the people of Israel threw stones at Achan until he died. They stoned the others too, and then burned them with fire.

And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

NoteLong ago people punished very bad crimes by throwing stones. The whole town did it together.

26They piled a big heap of stones over him. That heap is still there today. Then the LORD stopped being angry. That is why the place is called the Valley of Achor. Achor means "trouble."

And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

NoteA big pile of stones was like a sign. Anyone walking past would remember what happened there.

1The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid. Do not give up. Take your whole army and go up to the city of Ai. Look, I am giving you the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land."

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

Note"The LORD" in big letters stands for God's special name. Ai was a small city in the land God had promised. Israel had tried to take Ai once before and lost that fight.

2"Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the goods and the animals for yourselves. Hide some soldiers behind the city."

And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

NoteJericho was the first city Israel took in this land. There they were not allowed to keep anything for themselves. This time they could keep the animals and the things they found.

3So Joshua and the whole army got ready to attack Ai. Joshua picked thirty thousand of his bravest fighters. He sent them out at night.

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

NoteThirty thousand is a very big number of men, more than fit in a big stadium.

4He gave them orders. "Listen carefully. Go hide behind the city. Do not go far from it. All of you stay ready."

And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

5"I and the men with me will walk up to the city. The men of Ai will come out to fight us, like they did before. Then we will run away from them."

And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

6"They will chase us until they are far away from their city. They will say, 'They are running from us, just like last time.' So we will run from them."

(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

7"Then you must jump up from your hiding place and take the city. The LORD your God will hand it over to you."

Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8"After you take the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD said to do. Listen, these are my orders to you."

And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

9So Joshua sent them out. They went and hid between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. Joshua spent that night with the rest of the people.

Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

NoteBethel was another town close to Ai, a short walk away.

10Early the next morning Joshua counted his men. Then he and the leaders of Israel marched ahead of them toward Ai.

And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

NoteThe leaders, called elders, were the older men who helped decide things for the people.

11All the soldiers with him marched up close to the city. They set up camp north of Ai. A valley lay between them and the city.

And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.

NoteA valley is the low ground between two hills.

12Joshua had taken about five thousand men. He put them in a hiding place between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.

And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

13So the main camp was north of the city, and the hidden men were west of it. That night Joshua went down into the valley.

And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

14The king of Ai saw the Israelites. Early in the morning he hurried out with all his men to fight. They went to the meeting place near the flat land. But he did not know that soldiers were hiding behind his city.

And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

NoteThe flat land was a wide, dry, level place down below the city.

15Joshua and all Israel acted as if they were losing the fight. They ran away toward the desert.

And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

NoteThe desert here means dry, empty land with few plants and no towns.

16All the men in Ai were called to chase them. They ran after Joshua and got far away from their city.

And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

17Not one man was left in Ai or Bethel. They all went out after Israel. They left the city wide open while they chased Israel.

And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

18The LORD said to Joshua, "Hold out the spear in your hand toward Ai. I will give the city to you." So Joshua held out his spear toward the city.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

NoteHolding out the spear was a signal, like waving a flag. It told the hidden men that now was the time to run in.

19The moment he held out his hand, the hidden men jumped up. They ran into the city and took it. They quickly set it on fire.

And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

20The men of Ai looked back and saw smoke rising high into the sky. They had no strength left to run, this way or that. And the Israelites who had run to the desert now turned around on them.

And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

21Joshua and all Israel saw that the hidden men had taken the city. They saw the smoke going up. So they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

22The men from inside the city came out at them too. Now the men of Ai were caught with Israel on both sides. Israel struck them down, and not one of them was left or got away.

And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

NoteBeing caught on both sides means enemies in front of you and behind you. There is nowhere left to run.

23But they took the king of Ai alive. They brought him to Joshua.

And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

24Israel killed all the men of Ai out in the fields and the desert where they had chased them. Every one of them died by the sword. Then all the Israelites went back to Ai and killed the people there too.

And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

25Twelve thousand people died that day, both men and women. That was everyone who lived in Ai.

And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

26Joshua kept his hand held out with the spear. He did not pull it back until all the people of Ai were destroyed.

For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

27Israel kept only the animals and the goods of that city for themselves. This is what the LORD had told Joshua they could do.

Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

28Joshua burned Ai down. He left it as a pile of ruins. It is still an empty ruin today.

And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.

29He hung the king of Ai on a tree until evening. When the sun went down, Joshua told his men to take the body off the tree. They threw it down at the city gate. Then they piled a big heap of stones over it. That heap is still there today.

And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.

NoteTheir law said a dead body must not hang out all night. So they took him down before dark. Piling stones over a spot was their way of marking it. Anyone walking by would see the heap and remember what happened.