Joshua 8:15-22

15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be beaten back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. 16Then all the men of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they followed Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel, leaving the city wide open while they pursued Israel.

18Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out your battle lance1 toward Ai, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his battle lance toward Ai, 19and as soon as he did so, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position. They rushed forward, entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

20When the men of Ai turned and looked back, the smoke of the city was rising into the sky. They could not escape in any direction, and the troops who had fled to the wilderness now turned against their pursuers. 21When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai. 22Meanwhile, those in the ambush came out of the city against them, and the men of Ai were trapped between the Israelite forces on both sides. So Israel struck them down until no survivor or fugitive remained.