Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



And all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, all the people of Ai.


When Israel had finished slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field and in the wilderness into which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the sword until they were consumed, then all the Israelites returned to Ai and smote it with the sword. And all that fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, including all the men of Ai. For Joshua drew not back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.


The [mournful, inspired] oracle (a burden to be carried) concerning Moab:

Because in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined;
Because in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.

He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers.

So Israel set men in ambush round about Gibeah. And the Israelites went up against the Benjamites on the third day and set themselves in array against Gibeah as at other times. And the Benjamites went out against their army and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite and kill some of the people as at other times, in the highways, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, and in the open country -- "about thirty men of Israel. read more.
And the Benjamites said, They are routed before us as at first. But the Israelites said, Let us flee and draw them from the city to the highways. And all the men of Israel rose out of their places and set themselves in array at Baal-tamar, and the men of Israel in ambush rushed out of their place in the meadow of Geba. And there came against Gibeah 10,000 chosen men out of all Israel, and the battle was hard; but the Benjamites did not know disaster was close upon them. And the Lord overcame Benjamin before Israel, and the Israelites destroyed of the Benjamites that day 25,100 men, all of whom were swordsmen. So the Benjamites saw that they were defeated. The men of Israel gave ground to the Benjamites, because they trusted in the men in ambush whom they had set against Gibeah. And the men in ambush quickly rushed upon Gibeah, and the liers-in-wait moved out and smote all the city with the sword. Now the appointed signal between the men of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they made a great cloud of smoke arise from the city, The men of Israel should all turn back in battle. Now Benjamin had begun to smite and kill some of the men of Israel, about thirty persons. They said, Surely they are falling before us as in the first battle. But when the [signal] cloud began to rise out of the city in a pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and behold, the whole of the city went up in smoke to the heavens. When the men of Israel turned back again, the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster had come upon them. Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel and fled toward the wilderness, but the battle followed close behind and overtook them; and the inhabitants of the cities destroyed those [Benjamites] who came through them in their midst. They surrounded the Benjamites, pursued them, and overtook and trod them down at their resting-place as far as opposite Gibeah toward the east.

When Abram heard that [his nephew] had been captured, he armed (led forth) the 318 trained servants born in his own house and pursued the enemy as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and attacked and routed them, and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered and enraged like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hidden even now in some pit or other place; and when some of them are overthrown at the first, whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the followers of Absalom. read more.
And even he who is brave, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are brave men. Therefore I counsel that all [the men of] Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in your own person. So shall we come upon [David] some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew settles [unseen and unheard] on the ground; and of him and of all the men with him there shall not be left so much as one. If he withdraws into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ravine until not one pebble is left there. Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

And the Benjamites said, “They are defeated before us, as at the first.” But the sons of Israel said, “Let us flee and lure them away from the city to the highways.”

Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two groups, Thinking, If Esau comes to the one group and smites it, then the other group which is left will escape.

So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai; [he] chose thirty thousand mighty men of strength and sent them forth by night. And he commanded them, Behold, you shall lie in wait against the city behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us, as the first time, we will flee before them read more.
Till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, They are fleeing from us as before. So we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. When you have taken the city, you shall set it afire; as the Lord commanded, you shall do. See, I have commanded you. So Joshua sent them forth, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people. Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered the men, and went up with the elders of Israel before the warriors to Ai. And all the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near before the city and encamped on the north side of [it], with a ravine between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, west of the city. So they stationed all the army -- "the main encampment that was north of the city and their men in ambush behind and on the west of the city -- "and Joshua went that night into the midst of the ravine. When the king [and people] of Ai saw it, they hastily rose early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle [at a time and place appointed] before the Arabah [plain]. But he did not know of the ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten by them, and fled toward the wilderness. So all the people in Ai were called together to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. Leaving the city open, they pursued Israel. Then the Lord said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand. So Joshua stretched out the javelin in his hand toward the city. The men in the ambush arose quickly out of their place and ran when he stretched out his hand; and they entered the city and took it, and then hastened and set it afire. When the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to the heavens, and they had no power to flee this way or that way. Then the Israelites who fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city went up, they turned again and slew the men of Ai. And the others came forth out of the city against them [of Ai], so that they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. And [the Israelites] smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua. When Israel had finished slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field and in the wilderness into which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the sword until they were consumed, then all the Israelites returned to Ai and smote it with the sword. And all that fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, including all the men of Ai.

And he divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches inside the pitchers. And he said to them, Look at me, then do likewise. When I come to the edge of their camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, For the Lord and for Gideon! read more.
So Gideon and the 100 men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when the guards had just been changed, and they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. And the three companies blew the trumpets and shattered the pitchers, holding the torches in their left hands, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow [leaving no chance to use swords], and they cried, The sword for the Lord and Gideon! They stood every man in his place round about the camp, and all the [Midianite] army ran -- "they cried out and fled. When [Gideon's men] blew the 300 trumpets, the Lord set every [Midianite's] sword against his comrade and against all the army, and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were called together out of Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.

When David came to the summit [of Olivet], where he worshiped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent and earth upon his head. David said to him, If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in the past, so will I be your servant now, then you may defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.


‘Arise, let us [awaken to] attack her at night
And destroy her [fortified] palaces!’”

Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us [for battle] as [they did] the first time, we will run away from them.


Then they completely burned the city and everything that was in it. They put only the silver and the gold, and the articles of bronze and of iron, into the treasury of the house (tabernacle) of the Lord.

We utterly destroyed them, just as we did to Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying every city—the men, women, and children.

Then they utterly destroyed everything that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

They fought with Midian, as the Lord commanded Moses, and slew every male, Including the five kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba; also Balaam son of Beor they slew with the sword. And the Israelites took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and all their cattle, their flocks, and their goods as booty. read more.
They burned all the cities in which they dwelt, and all their encampments. And they took all the spoil and all the prey, both of man and of beast. Then they brought the captives, the prey, and the spoil to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the congregation of the Israelites at the camp on the plains of Moab by Jordan at Jericho. Moses and Eleazar the priest and all the princes or leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. But Moses was angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, who served in the war. And Moses said to them, Have you let all the women live? Behold, these caused the Israelites by the counsel of Balaam to trespass and act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor, and so a [smiting] plague came among the congregation of the Lord. Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who is not a virgin.

And the Lord our God gave him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and all his people. At the same time we took all his cities and utterly destroyed every city -- "men, women, and children. We left none to remain.

And when the Lord your God has given it into your hands, you shall smite every male there with the edge of the sword. But the women, the little ones, the beasts, and all that is in the city, all the spoil in it, you shall take for yourselves; and you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the Lord your God has given you. So shall you treat all the cities that are very far off from you, that do not belong to the cities of these nations. read more.
But in the cities of these people which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes. But you shall utterly exterminate them, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded you, So that they may not teach you all the abominable practices they have carried on for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the Lord your God.

When Israel had finished slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field and in the wilderness into which they pursued them, and they were all fallen by the sword until they were consumed, then all the Israelites returned to Ai and smote it with the sword. And all that fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand, including all the men of Ai.

He feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up to me and help me, and let us smite Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the Israelites. read more.
Then the five kings of the Amorites -- "the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon -- "gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped before Gibeon to fight against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, Do not relax your hand from your servants; come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us. So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the warriors with him and all the mighty men of valor. And the Lord said to Joshua, Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hand; there shall not a man of them stand before you. So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having gone up from Gilgal all night. And the Lord caused [the enemies] to panic before Israel, who slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and chased them along the way that goes up to Beth-horon and smote them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel, while they were descending [the pass] to Beth-horon, the Lord cast great stones from the heavens on them as far as Azekah, killing them. More died because of the hailstones than the Israelites slew with the sword. Then Joshua spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, be silent and stand still at Gibeon, and you, moon, in the Valley of Ajalon! And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the nation took vengeance upon their enemies. Is not this written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man. For the Lord fought for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. Those five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave of Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, The five kings are hidden in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua said, Roll great stones to the cave's mouth, and set men to guard them. But do not stay. Pursue your enemies and fall upon their rear; do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand. When Joshua and the Israelites had ended slaying them until they were wiped out and the remnant remaining of them had entered into fortified cities, All the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace; none moved his tongue against any of the Israelites. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave. They brought the five kings out of the cave to him -- "the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. When they brought out those kings to Joshua, [he] called for all the Israelites and told the commanders of the men of war who went with him, Come, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came and put their feet on the [kings'] necks. Joshua said to them, Fear not nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage. For thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua smote and slew them and hanged their bodies on five trees, and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered and they took the bodies down from the trees and cast them into the cave where the kings had hidden and laid great stones on the cave's mouth, which remain to this very day. Joshua took Makkedah that day and smote it and its king with the sword and utterly destroyed everyone in it. He left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. Then Joshua and all Israel went from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked Libnah. And the Lord gave it also and its king into Israel's hands, and Joshua smote it with the sword, and all the people in it. He left none remaining in it. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish and encamped against it and attacked it. And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hands of Israel, and Joshua took it on the second day and smote it with the sword, and all the people in it, as he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish, and Joshua smote him and his people -- "until he had left none remaining. From Lachish Joshua and all Israel went on to Eglon, laid siege to it, and attacked it. And they took it that day and smote it with the sword and utterly destroyed all who were in it that day, as he had done to Lachish. Then Joshua with all Israel went up from Eglon to Hebron, and they attacked it And took it and smote it with the sword, and its king and all its towns and everyone in it. He left none remaining, as he had done to Eglon, and utterly destroyed it and all its people. And Joshua and all Israel with him returned to Debir and attacked it. And he took it, with its king and all its towns, and they smote them with the sword and utterly destroyed everyone in it. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron and to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and its king. So Joshua smote all the land, the hill country, the South, the lowland, and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded.

They smote all the people in it with the sword, utterly destroying them; none were left alive, and he burned Hazor with fire. And Joshua took all the cities of those kings and all the kings and smote them with the sword, utterly destroying them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. But Israel burned none of the cities that stood [fortified] on their mounds -- "except Hazor only, which Joshua burned. read more.
And all the spoil of these cities and the livestock the Israelites took for their booty; but every man they smote with the sword until they had destroyed them, and they left none who breathed. As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. So Joshua took all that land: the hill country, all the South, all the land of Goshen, the lowland, the Arabah [plain], the hill country of Israel and its lowland, From Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and slew them. Joshua had waged war a long time [at least five years] with all those kings. Not a city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites, the people of Gibeon; all the others they took in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, that [Israel] might destroy them utterly, and that without favor and mercy, as the Lord commanded Moses. Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim [large in stature] from the hill country: from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and the hill country of Israel. Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. None of the Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod [of Philistia] did some remain. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their allotments by tribes. And the land had rest from war.

Now go and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey. So Saul assembled the men and numbered them at Telaim -- "200,000 men on foot and 10,000 men of Judah. And Saul came to the city of Amalek and laid wait in the valley. read more.
Saul warned the Kenites, Go, depart, get down from among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. And he took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, though he utterly destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword. Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them; but all that was undesirable or worthless they destroyed utterly.

Now David and his men went up and made attacks on the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites [enemies of Israel Joshua had failed to exterminate]. For from of old those nations inhabited the land, as one goes to Shur even to the land of Egypt. And David smote the land and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, oxen, donkeys, camels, and the apparel, and returned to Achish. Achish would ask, Against whom have you made a raid today? And David would reply, Against the South (Negeb) of Judah, or of the Jerahmeelites, or of the Kenites. read more.
And David saved neither man nor woman alive to bring tidings to Gath, thinking, Lest they should say about us, So did David, and so will he do as long as he dwells in the Philistines' country.