Joshua 8:2-12

2Then you will do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king—except you will take its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”

3So Joshua and all the people of war arose to go up to Ai. Joshua selected 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them at night.

4He commanded them saying: “Look, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Don’t go too far from the city, but all of you be ready.

5Then I and all the troops with me will approach the city. Then it will be when they come out against us, like the first time, that we will flee before them.

6So they will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will think, ‘They are fleeing before us like the first time.’ While we are fleeing before them,

7you will rise up from the ambush and take possession of the city, for Adonai your God will give it into your hand.

8Now when you have seized the city, you will set the city on fire—according to the word of Adonai you must do. See that you do as I have ordered you.”

9So Joshua sent them off, and they went to the ambush site, taking position between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people.

10Then Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the people. He and the elders of Israel marched before the people to Ai.

11All the people of war with him went up, advanced, and came in front of the city. They camped to the north of Ai, with a valley between him and Ai.

12But he had taken about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.