²¹ Mortal, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword.^{(A) 22} Therefore thus says the Lord God: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken, and I will make the sword fall from his hand.^{(B) 23} I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.^{(C) 24} I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded.^{(D) 25} I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. And they shall know that I am the Lord when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall stretch it out against the land of Egypt,^(E)

⁸ Rather, go by yourself and act; be strong in battle, or God will fling you down before the enemy, for God has power to help or to overthrow.”^(A)

⁸ O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned their backs to their enemies! ⁹ The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and surround us and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?”^(A)

¹⁰ The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I imposed on them. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have acted deceitfully, and they have put them among their own belongings.^{(B) 12} Therefore the Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they turn their backs to their enemies because they have become a thing devoted for destruction themselves. I will be with you no more unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

⁴ So about three thousand of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.^{(A) 5} The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from outside the gate as far as Shebarim and killing them on the slope. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water.

⁴⁵ Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hormah.^(A)

⁴² Do not go up, for the Lord is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your enemies.^(A)

³⁶ And as for those of you who survive, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; the sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall though no one pursues.^{(A) 37} They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though no one pursues, and you shall have no power to stand against your enemies.^(B)