1 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:
2 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.
3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away by night.
4 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 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 (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 ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
16 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.
17 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.
18 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.
19 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 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.
23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
24 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.
25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27 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.
28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
29 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 carcass 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.
30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
The eighth chapter of the book of Joshua in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible continues the narrative of the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land. This chapter details the Israelites' victory over the city of Ai and their subsequent obedience to God's instructions for taking the city. The main themes of this chapter include obedience to God, the consequences of disobedience, and the importance of repentance and forgiveness.
The chapter begins with God's reassurance to Joshua that the Israelites will be victorious over the city of Ai, which they had previously been defeated by. God instructs Joshua to gather the army and lay an ambush behind the city. He also reminds Joshua to take the spoils of the city as they did with Jericho, but this time they are allowed to keep the livestock and goods for themselves.
Following God's instructions, Joshua divides his army into two groups – one to lay the ambush and the other to attack the city head-on. As the Israelites approach the city, the king of Ai and his army come out to meet them. However, the Israelites retreat as if they are being defeated, luring the soldiers of Ai out of the city.
Meanwhile, the ambush party enters the city and sets it on fire, causing chaos and confusion among the inhabitants. The Israelites then turn back and attack the city, with the ambush party joining in from behind. The people of Ai are defeated, and their city is burned to the ground.
This victory is a clear demonstration of God's power and faithfulness to the Israelites. It also serves as a reminder to the Israelites of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of following God's instructions.
In the previous chapter, the Israelites had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the people of Ai because of one man's disobedience – Achan, who had taken forbidden items from Jericho. This defeat was a direct result of the Israelites' disobedience to God's command not to take anything from the city.
However, in this chapter, we see the Israelites following God's instructions precisely, and they are rewarded with victory. This serves as a reminder that obedience to God brings blessings, while disobedience leads to consequences.
Furthermore, the Israelites are also reminded of the importance of seeking God's guidance and following His will in all their actions. Joshua and his army did not rely on their own strength and strategies but instead trusted in God's plan for victory. This is a valuable lesson for us as well – to rely on God's guidance and not our own understanding.
The defeat at Ai in the previous chapter was a result of one man's disobedience, and the consequences were severe. Not only did the Israelites suffer defeat, but they also lost men in battle. Achan and his family were also stoned to death as punishment for his disobedience.
This serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences, and disobedience to God's commands can have severe repercussions. It also highlights the importance of personal responsibility and the impact our choices can have on those around us.
After the victory at Ai, Joshua builds an altar on Mount Ebal, as God had commanded in Deuteronomy 27. The Israelites then offer sacrifices and burnt offerings to God as a sign of repentance for Achan's sin and their disobedience at Jericho.
This act of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God shows the Israelites' understanding of the gravity of their actions and their desire to make things right with God. It also serves as an example for us to seek forgiveness from God when we have sinned and to make amends for our wrongdoings.
Ultimately, the eighth chapter of Joshua highlights the importance of obedience to God, the consequences of disobedience, and the power of repentance and forgiveness. It serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness and His desire for us to follow His will and seek forgiveness when we fall short. As we continue to read the book of Joshua, we see how these themes play out in the Israelites' journey towards possessing the Promised Land and how they are still relevant in our lives today.
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