And he commanded them, saying - See! ye, shall be lying in ambush against the city, behind the city, do not go very far from the city, - so shall ye all be ready. But, I, and all the people who are with me, will draw near unto the city, - and it shall be, when they come out to meet us, as at the first, then will we flee before them; read more. so will they come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, Fleeing before us, as at the first! therefore will we flee before them. Then, ye, shall rise up out of the ambush, and take possession of the city, - and Yahweh your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when ye have seized the city, then shall ye burn the city with fire, according to the word of Yahweh, shall ye do, - see! I have commanded you. So Joshua sent them forth, and they went into ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west of Ai, - but Joshua lodged that night in the midst of the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and mustered the people, - and went up - he and the elders of Israel, before the people, to Ai. And, all the people of war who were with him, went up, and drew near, and came in, right before the city, - and pitched on the north of Ai, with, a valley, between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, - and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west of the city. And, when the people had set all the host that was on the north of the city, with the rear thereof on the west of the city, then went Joshua, during the night, into the midst of the valley. 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 came out to meet Israel for battle, he and all his people, at an appointed time, before the waste plain, - he not knowing that there was an ambush lying in wait for him, behind the city. So then Joshua and all Israel suffered themselves to be smitten before them, - and fled, by the way of the wilderness; and all the people who were in the city were called out to pursue them, - and they pursued Joshua, and so were drawn out away from the city. And there remained not a man, in Ai or Bethel, who had not gone out after Israel, - and they left the city, open, and pursued Israel. Then said Yahweh unto Joshua - Stretch out with the javelin which is in thy hand, towards Ai, for, into thy hand, will I deliver it. So Joshua stretched out with the javelin which was in his hand, towards the city. And, the ambush, rose up quickly, out of their place, and ran, when he stretched out his hand, and entered the city, and captured it, - and hasted, and set the city on fire. And the men of Ai turned behind them, and looked, and lo! the smoke of the city had risen up towards the heavens, and there was in them no strength, to flee this way or that way, - moreover, the people that were fleeing to the wilderness, turned back upon the pursuers. Yea, when, Joshua and all Israel, saw that the ambush had captured the city, and that the smoke of the city had risen up, then returned they, and smote the men of Ai. And, the others, came forth out of the city to meet them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side, - and they smote them, until there was left them none to remain or to escape. And, the king of Ai, they caught alive, - and brought him near unto Joshua. And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness whither they had pursued them, and all of them had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, then all Israel returned to Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. And so it was, that all who fell that day, both of men and of women, were twelve thousand, - all people of Ai. Now, Joshua, drew not back his hand which he had stretched out with the javelin, - until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

And, when Zubul, governor of the city, heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, then was kindled his anger. And he sent messengers unto Abimelech, by deceit, saying, - Lo! Gaal son of Ebed, and his brethren, are coming into Shechem; and lo! are fortifying the city against thee. read more. Now, therefore, up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and lie in wait in the field; and it shall be, in the morning, about sunrise, thou shalt get up early, and spread thyself out against the city, - when lo! he and the people that are with him coming out against thee, so shalt thou do unto him as thy hand shall find opportunity. So Abimelech rose up,, and all the people that were with him, by night, - and they lay in wait above Shechem, in four companies. Then came forth Gaal son of Ebed, and took his stand at the opening of the gate of the city, - so Abimelech rose up, and the people that were with him, from the place of ambush. And, when Gaal saw the people, he said unto Zebul, Lo! people coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, The shadow of the mountains, thou seest, like men. Then did Gaal yet further speak, and say - Lo! people coming down from the highest part of the land, - and one company, coming in by way of the Conjurers' Terebinth. So then Zebul said unto him - Where, then, is thy mouth that kept on saying, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Is not, this, the people which thou didst despise? Go forth, I pray thee, now, and fight with them! And Gaal went forth before the owners of Shechem, - and fought against Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, - and there fell a multitude of slain as far as the entering of the gate. Then dwelt Abimelech in Arumah, - and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem. And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the people went forth into the field, - and they told Abimelech. So he took the people and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the field, - and he looked, and lo! the people coming forth out of the city, so he rose up against them, and smote them. And, Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, spread themselves out, and one of the companies took their stand at the opening of the gate of the city, - while, the two companies, spread themselves out against all that were in the field, and smote them. And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew, - and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt.

Against the walls of Babylon, Lift ye up a standard, Strengthen ye the watch, Station the watchmen, Make ready the ambuscades, - For Yahweh hath both planned and also performed that which he had spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon.