³ So Joshua and the whole military force got ready to go up to Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, strong warriors, and sent them out during the night. ⁴ He commanded them, “See to it that you set up an ambush against the city on its west side, not very far from the city. All of you are to be on alert. ⁵ Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When the men of Ai come out to face us just as they did the first time, we will flee from them.