Joshua 8:2-12

2You will destroy them as you destroyed Jericho and its king. But this time you may keep the plunder and the livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the town.”

3So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to attack Ai. Joshua chose 30,000 of his best warriors and sent them out at night

4with these orders: “Hide in ambush close behind the town and be ready for action.

5When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them.

6We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ Then, while we are running from them,

7you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the Lord your God will give it to you.

8Set the town on fire, as the Lord has commanded. You have your orders.”

9So they left and went to the place of ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But Joshua remained among the people in the camp that night.

10Early the next morning Joshua roused his men and started toward Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.

11All the fighting men who were with Joshua marched in front of the town and camped on the north side of Ai, with a valley between them and the town.

12That night Joshua sent about 5,000 men to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the town.