² Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,^(A) which is near Beth Aven^(B) to the east of Bethel,^(C) and told them, “Go up and spy out^(D) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

⁹ Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush^(A) and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.

²³ When they sent men to spy out Bethel (formerly called Luz),^(A)

⁵ She held court^(A) under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah^(B) and Bethel^(C) in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.

¹⁸ The Israelites went up to Bethel^[a](A) and inquired of God.^(B) They said, “Who of us is to go up first^(C) to fight^(D) against the Benjamites?”

The Lord replied, “Judah^(E) shall go first.”

² The people went to Bethel,^[a] where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.

³¹ The descendants of the Benjamites from Geba^(A) lived in Mikmash,^(B) Aija, Bethel^(C) and its settlements,