So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai.

Lord, what am I to say, now that Israel has run away from its enemies?

So Joshua sent some messengers, who ran to the tent. And there it was, hidden in the tent with the silver underneath.

I and all of the army with me will advance upon the city. When they come out after us like they did before, we'll run away from them.

There wasn't a single man left in Ai or Bethel who didn't run out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

Then the men of Ai looked back behind them and all of a sudden! smoke from the city was rising into the sky. They were unable to run in any direction, because the Israelis who had fled toward the wilderness had turned around to attack their pursuers.

all of the cities of the plain, the entire kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who used to reign in Heshbon and whom Moses attacked, along with the chiefs of Midian, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, nobles of Sihon who lived in the land.

so that anyone who kills a person unintentionally and without premeditation may run there and be protected from closely related avengers.

He may run to one of those cities, stand at the entrance to the city gate, and tell his side of the story to the elders of the city. They are to bring him inside the city with them and provide him a place to live among them.

These were appointed to be cities for all the Israelis and for the foreigner who lives among them, so that whoever kills anyone unintentionally may run there and not die at the hands of a closely related avenger until he stands for trial before the community.