Jos 8:1-5 | ESV | STEP | And the Lord said to Joshua , Do not fear and do not be dismayed . Take all the fighting men with you, and arise , go up to Ai . See , I have given into your hand the king of Ai , and his people , his city , and his land .

Joshua 8:1-5

The Fall of Ai

1 And the Lord said to Joshua, ^a“Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, ^bI have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did ^cto Jericho and its king. Only ^dits spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”

3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. 4 And he commanded them, “Behold, ^eyou shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. 5 And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us ^fjust as before, we shall flee before them.