²¹ “Son of man, I have broken the arm^(A) of Pharaoh^(B) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed^(C) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. ²² Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.^(D) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.^{(E) 23} I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.^{(F) 24} I will strengthen^(G) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword^(H) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan^(I) before him like a mortally wounded man. ²⁵ I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword^(J) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.^(K)

⁸ Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”^(A)

⁸ Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? ⁹ The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.^(A) What then will you do for your own great name?^(B)”

¹⁰ The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned;^(C) they have violated my covenant,^(D) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,^(E) they have put them with their own possessions.^{(F) 12} That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;^(G) they turn their backs^(H) and run^(I) because they have been made liable to destruction.^(J) I will not be with you anymore^(K) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

⁴ So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,^{(A) 5} who killed about thirty-six^(B) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear^(C) and became like water.

⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites^(A) who lived in that hill country^(B) came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.^(C)

⁴² Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,^(A)

³⁶ “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf^(A) will put them to flight.^(B) They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.^{(C) 37} They will stumble over one another^(D) as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies.^(E)