Joshua 8
King James Version
8 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 valour, 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 carcase 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.
Josua 8
Svenska Folkbibeln
Ais erövring och förstöring
8 Herren sade till Josua: "Frukta inte, var inte förskräckt! Tag med dig allt krigsfolk och stå upp och drag ut mot Ai. Se, jag har givit kungen i Ai med hans folk, hans stad och hans land i dina händer. 2 Och du skall göra med Ai och dess kung som du gjorde med Jeriko och dess kung, men rovet och boskapen därifrån får ni behålla som ert byte. Lägg ett bakhåll mot staden på andra sidan om den."
3 Då bröt Josua upp med allt krigsfolket för att tåga mot Ai. Och Josua valde ut trettiotusen man, tappra stridsmän, och sände ut dem om natten. 4 Han befallde dem: "Lägg er i bakhåll mot staden, på andra sidan om den, men gå inte alltför långt från staden. Och håll er alla beredda. 5 Själv skall jag med allt folk som är kvar hos mig rycka fram mot staden. När de då drar ut mot oss som förra gången, skall vi fly för dem. 6 Då kommer de att följa efter oss, tills vi har lockat bort dem från staden. De kommer nämligen att säga: Nu flyr de för oss precis som förra gången. 7 Men när vi flyr för dem, skall ni komma fram från bakhållet och inta staden, ty Herren, er Gud, har givit den i er hand. 8 Och när ni har intagit staden, skall ni tända eld på den. Det är vad Herren har sagt att ni skall göra. Ge akt på vad jag har befallt." 9 Josua sände i väg dem, och de gick och lade sig i bakhåll mellan Betel och Ai, väster om Ai. Men Josua stannade över natten bland folket.
10 Tidigt följande morgon mönstrade Josua folket och drog sedan med de äldste i Israel i spetsen för folket upp till Ai. 11 Allt det krigsfolk som var kvar hos honom drog med dit upp och ryckte allt närmare, till dess de kom mitt emot staden. Där slog de läger norr om Ai med dalen mellan sig och Ai. 12 Men han tog omkring femtusen man och lade dem i bakhåll mellan Betel och Ai, väster om staden. 13 Och när folket intagit ställning, både lägret norr om staden och de som låg i bakhåll väster om staden, gick Josua den natten fram till mitten av dalen. 14 När kungen i Ai såg detta, skyndade sig männen i staden och han själv med allt sitt folk och drog tidigt på morgonen ut till strid mot Israel, bort till den utsedda platsen framför hedmarken. Han visste inte om bakhållet mot honom på andra sidan staden. 15 Josua och hela Israel låtsades bli slagna och flydde i riktning mot öknen. 16 Då kallade man samman allt folket i staden för att förfölja dem. Och de förföljde Josua och lockades bort från staden. 17 Inte en enda man blev kvar i Ai eller i Betel, alla drog ut efter Israel och lämnade staden öppen, när de förföljde Israel.
18 Och Herren sade till Josua: "Räck ut spjutet som du har i handen mot Ai, ty jag skall ge staden i din hand." Då räckte Josua ut spjutet som han hade i sin hand mot staden. 19 Och de som låg i bakhåll bröt hastigt upp från sin plats och skyndade i väg, så snart han räckte ut sin hand, och de kom in i staden och intog den och skyndade sig att sätta eld på den. 20 När då männen från Ai vände sig om, fick de se hur rök från staden steg upp mot himlen. Och de hade inte möjlighet att fly vare sig i ena eller andra riktningen, eftersom det folk som flydde åt öknen vände sig mot sina förföljare. 21 Ty när Josua och hela Israel såg, att de som låg i bakhåll hade intagit staden och att rök steg upp från staden, vände de om och slog ner männen från Ai. 22 De andra drog ut från staden emot dem, så att de kom mitt emellan israeliterna och hade dem på båda sidor om sig. Och dessa nergjorde dem och lät ingen överleva eller komma undan. 23 Men kungen i Ai blev tagen till fånga levande och förd till Josua.
24 När Israel hade dödat alla Ais invånare ute på fältet och i öknen, dit de hade förföljt dem, och alla dessa hade fallit för svärd och blivit nergjorda, vände alla israeliter tillbaka till Ai och slog det med svärd. 25 De som föll den dagen, män och kvinnor, utgjorde tolvtusen personer, allt folket i Ai. 26 Josua drog inte tillbaka sin hand, som han hade räckt ut spjutet med, förrän alla Ais invånare hade blivit tillintetgjorda. 27 Det var bara boskapen och rovet från denna stad, som Israel tog som byte, enligt den befallning Herren hade givit Josua. 28 Och Josua brände upp Ai och gjorde det till en grushög för evig tid, till en ödemark, som det är ännu i dag. 29 Kungen i Ai lät han hänga upp på en påle, och där fick han hänga till kvällen. När solen gick ner, tog man på Josuas befallning ner hans döda kropp från pålen och kastade den vid ingången till stadsporten. De reste ett stort stenröse över den, och det finns kvar än i dag.
Lagen läses upp på berget Ebal
30 Sedan byggde Josua åt Herren, Israels Gud, ett altare på berget Ebal, 31 så som Herrens tjänare Mose hade befallt Israels barn, och som det var föreskrivet i Moses lagbok: ett altare av ohuggna stenar, som inte var bearbetade med järn. På det offrade de brännoffer åt Herren och slaktade gemenskapsoffer. 32 Där på stenarna lät Josua göra en avskrift av den lag som Mose hade skrivit inför Israels barn. 33 Hela Israel med dess äldste och tillsyningsmän och domare stod på båda sidor om arken, så att de hade de levitiska prästerna som bar Herrens förbundsark framför sig. Den ena hälften av folket, främlingar såväl som infödda, stod vänd mot berget Gerissim och den andra hälften mot berget Ebal, i enlighet med vad Herrens tjänare Mose hade befallt, nämligen att man först skulle välsigna Israels folk. 34 Därefter läste han upp alla lagens ord, välsignelsen och förbannelsen, allt så som det var skrivet i lagboken. 35 Inte ett ord av allt det som Mose hade befallt underlät Josua att läsa upp inför Israels hela församling med kvinnor och barn och de främlingar som följde dem.
Joshua 8
New King James Version
The Fall of Ai
8 Now the Lord said to Joshua: (A)“Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, (B)I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to (C)Jericho and its king. Only (D)its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay 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 thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. 4 And he commanded them, saying: “Behold, (E)you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind the city. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready. 5 Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city; and it will come about, when they come out against us as at the first, that (F)we shall flee before them. 6 For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ Therefore we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. 8 And it will be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire. According to the commandment of the Lord you shall do. (G)See, I have commanded you.”
9 Joshua therefore sent them out; and they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10 Then 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. 11 (H)And all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near; and they came before the city and camped on the north side of Ai. Now a valley lay between them and Ai. 12 So he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of [a]the city. 13 And when they had set the people, all the army that was on the north of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
14 Now it happened, when the king of Ai saw it, that the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at an appointed place before the plain. But he (I)did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. 15 And Joshua and all Israel (J)made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16 So all the people who were in Ai were called together to pursue them. And they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city. 17 There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. So they left the city open and pursued Israel.
18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand toward the city. 19 So those in ambush arose quickly out of their place; they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand, and they entered the city and took it, and hurried to 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 to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
21 Now when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. 22 Then the others came out of the city against them; so they were caught in the midst of Israel, some on this side and some on that side. And they struck them down, so that they (K)let none of them remain or escape. 23 But 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 where they pursued them, and when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25 So it was that all who fell that day, both men and women, were twelve thousand—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the spear, until he had (L)utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27 (M)Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as booty for themselves, according to the word of the Lord which He had (N)commanded Joshua. 28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it (O)a heap forever, a desolation to this day. 29 (P)And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until evening. (Q)And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his corpse down from the tree, cast it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and (R)raise over it a great heap of stones that remains to this day.
Joshua Renews the Covenant(S)
30 Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel (T)in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses: (U)“an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And (V)they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the children of Israel, (W)he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, (X)who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, (Y)the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, (Z)as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward (AA)he read all the words of the law, (AB)the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the (AC)Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, (AD)with the women, the little ones, (AE)and the strangers who were living among them.
Footnotes
- Joshua 8:12 Ai
1996, 1998 by Stiftelsen Svenska Folkbibeln
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
