יְהוֹשֻעַ 8
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־יְהֹושֻׁ֙עַ֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א וְאַל־תֵּחָ֔ת קַ֣ח עִמְּךָ֗ אֵ֚ת כָּל־עַ֣ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֖וּם עֲלֵ֣ה הָעָ֑י רְאֵ֣ה ׀ נָתַ֣תִּי בְיָדְךָ֗ אֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ הָעַי֙ וְאֶת־עַמֹּ֔ו וְאֶת־עִירֹ֖ו וְאֶת־אַרְצֹֽו׃ | 1 |
The Lord said to Joshua, “Don't be afraid or downhearted! Take all the fighting men with you and attack Ai, for I'm handing over to you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land.
| וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ לָעַ֜י וּלְמַלְכָּ֗הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤יתָ לִֽירִיחֹו֙ וּלְמַלְכָּ֔הּ רַק־שְׁלָלָ֥הּ וּבְהֶמְתָּ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣זּוּ לָכֶ֑ם שִׂים־לְךָ֥ אֹרֵ֛ב לָעִ֖יר מֵאַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃ | 2 |
You will do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho and its king. However, this time you may keep for yourselves the plunder and the livestock. Set up an ambush behind the town.”
| וַיָּ֧קָם יְהֹושֻׁ֛עַ וְכָל־עַ֥ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לַעֲלֹ֣ות הָעָ֑י וַיִּבְחַ֣ר יְ֠הֹושֻׁעַ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ גִּבֹּורֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֖ם לָֽיְלָה׃ | 3 |
So Joshua and all the people got ready to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night.
| וַיְצַ֨ו אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְ֠אוּ אַתֶּ֞ם אֹרְבִ֤ים לָעִיר֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר אַל־תַּרְחִ֥יקוּ מִן־הָעִ֖יר מְאֹ֑ד וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם נְכֹנִֽים׃ | 4 |
He ordered them, “You lie in ambush behind the town, not far away. All of you need to be ready.
| וַאֲנִ֗י וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתִּ֔י נִקְרַ֖ב אֶל־הָעִ֑יר וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יֵצְא֤וּ לִקְרָאתֵ֙נוּ֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֔ה וְנַ֖סְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 5 |
When I and the rest of the men with me approach the town, the defenders will run out to attack us just like before, and we'll run away from them.
| וְיָצְא֣וּ אַחֲרֵ֗ינוּ עַ֣ד הַתִּיקֵ֤נוּ אֹותָם֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ נָסִ֣ים לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְנַ֖סְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃ | 6 |
They'll chase after us as we draw them away from the town, because they'll say to each other, ‘They're running away from us just like before.’
| וְאַתֶּ֗ם תָּקֻ֙מוּ֙ מֵהָ֣אֹורֵ֔ב וְהֹורַשְׁתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃ | 7 |
While we're running away from them, you will get up from your ambush positions and take the town for the Lord God will hand it over to you.
| וְהָיָ֞ה כְּתָפְשְׂכֶ֣ם אֶת־הָעִ֗יר תַּצִּ֤יתוּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ רְא֖וּ צִוִּ֥יתִי אֶתְכֶֽם׃ | 8 |
Once you've captured the town, set it on fire, as the Lord has instructed. Now follow your orders.”
| וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֣ם יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י מִיָּ֣ם לָעָ֑י וַיָּ֧לֶן יְהֹושֻׁ֛עַ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַה֖וּא בְּתֹ֥וךְ הָעָֽם׃ | 9 |
Joshua sent them out, and they went to lie in ambush between Bethel and the west side of Ai. But that night Joshua stayed with the people in the camp.
| וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֤ם יְהֹושֻׁ֙עַ֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּפְקֹ֖ד אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֨עַל ה֜וּא וְזִקְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם הָעָֽי׃ | 10 |
Early the next morning Joshua got up early and gathered the people and went up to attack Ai, accompanied by the elders of Israel.
| וְכָל־הָעָ֨ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתֹּ֗ו עָלוּ֙ וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֔וּ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ נֶ֣גֶד הָעִ֑יר וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ מִצְּפֹ֣ון לָעַ֔י וְהַגַּ֖י בֵּינֹו (בֵּינָ֥יו) וּבֵין־הָעָֽי׃ | 11 |
All the fighting men who were with him approached the front of the town, and camped there on the north side, with a valley between them and Ai.
| וַיִּקַּ֕ח כַּחֲמֵ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִ֑ישׁ וַיָּ֨שֶׂם אֹותָ֜ם אֹרֵ֗ב בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י מִיָּ֥ם לָעִֽיר׃ | 12 |
He took about five thousand men and had them lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the town.
| וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ הָעָ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ מִצְּפֹ֣ון לָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־עֲקֵבֹ֖ו מִיָּ֣ם לָעִ֑יר וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יְהֹושֻׁ֛עַ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַה֖וּא בְּתֹ֥וךְ הָעֵֽמֶק׃ | 13 |
So the army took up their positions—the main army to the north of the town, and the ambush to the west. Joshua went that night to the valley.
| וַיְהִ֞י כִּרְאֹ֣ות מֶֽלֶךְ־הָעַ֗י וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־הָעִ֣יר לִקְרַֽאת־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל לַֽמִּלְחָמָ֞ה ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמֹּ֛ו לַמֹּועֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּֽי־אֹרֵ֥ב לֹ֖ו מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃ | 14 |
As soon as the king of Ai saw the situation, he and all his men rushed out early in the morning to attack the Israelites where they had before, at a place overlooking the Jordan valley. He didn't know about the ambush waiting on the other side of the town.
| וַיִּנָּֽגְע֛וּ יְהֹושֻׁ֥עַ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃ | 15 |
Joshua and the Israelites allowed themselves to be driven back, and ran away in the direction of the wilderness.
| וַיִּזָּעֲק֗וּ כָּל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּעִיר (בָּעַ֔י) לִרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהֹושֻׁ֔עַ וַיִּנָּתְק֖וּ מִן־הָעִֽיר׃ | 16 |
All the men of the town were called out to chase after them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn father from the town.
| וְלֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֣ר אִ֗ישׁ בָּעַי֙ וּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָצְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ פְּתוּחָ֔ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | 17 |
There wasn't a man left in Ai and Bethel who didn't go out to chase the Israelites. They left the town wide open as they pursued the Israelites.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ נְ֠טֵה בַּכִּידֹ֤ון אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הָעַ֔י כִּ֥י בְיָדְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וַיֵּ֧ט יְהֹושֻׁ֛עַ בַּכִּידֹ֥ון אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדֹ֖ו אֶל־הָעִֽיר׃ | 18 |
Then the Lord told Joshua, “Hold up the spear in your hand and point it at Ai, because I'm giving it to you.” So Joshua held up the spear in his hand and pointed it at the town.
| וְהָאֹורֵ֡ב קָם֩ מְהֵרָ֨ה מִמְּקֹומֹ֤ו וַיָּר֙וּצוּ֙ כִּנְטֹ֣ות יָדֹ֔ו וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָעִ֖יר וַֽיִּלְכְּד֑וּהָ וַֽיְמַהֲר֔וּ וַיַּצִּ֥יתוּ אֶת־הָעִ֖יר בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ | 19 |
As soon as they saw this signal the men lying in ambush got up and rushed into the town. They captured it, and quickly set it on fire.
| וַיִּפְנ֣וּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ הָעַ֨י אַחֲרֵיהֶ֜ם וַיִּרְא֗וּ וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָלָ֜ה עֲשַׁ֤ן הָעִיר֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם יָדַ֛יִם לָנ֖וּס הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וְהָעָם֙ הַנָּ֣ס הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר נֶהְפַּ֖ךְ אֶל־הָרֹודֵֽף׃ | 20 |
When the men of Ai looked back they saw the smoke rising up into the sky from the town. They had nowhere to run to, because the Israelites who had been running away towards the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.
| וִיהֹושֻׁ֨עַ וְכָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל רָא֗וּ כִּֽי־לָכַ֤ד הָֽאֹרֵב֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וְכִ֥י עָלָ֖ה עֲשַׁ֣ן הָעִ֑יר וַיָּשֻׁ֕בוּ וַיַּכּ֖וּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעָֽי׃ | 21 |
For when Joshua and the Israelites saw that the ambush group had captured the town, and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai.
| וְאֵ֨לֶּה יָצְא֤וּ מִן־הָעִיר֙ לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ אֵ֥לֶּה מִזֶּ֖ה וְאֵ֣לֶּה מִזֶּ֑ה וַיַּכּ֣וּ אֹותָ֔ם עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־לֹ֖ו שָׂרִ֥יד וּפָלִֽיט׃ | 22 |
The men from the ambush also came from the town and attacked them, so they were caught on the middle, with the Israelites on both sides. The Israelites cut them down—not a single man survived or got away.
| וְאֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ הָעַ֖י תָּ֣פְשׂוּ חָ֑י וַיַּקְרִ֥בוּ אֹתֹ֖ו אֶל־יְהֹושֻֽׁעַ׃ | 23 |
Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua.
| וַיְהִ֣י כְּכַלֹּ֣ות יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל לַהֲרֹג֩ אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י הָעַ֜י בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְדָפ֣וּם בֹּ֔ו וַֽיִּפְּל֥וּ כֻלָּ֛ם לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב עַד־תֻּמָּ֑ם וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָעַ֔י וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ | 24 |
When the Israelites had finished killing the men of Ai who had chased them towards the wilderness—once they had all been cut down by the sword—the whole Israelite army returned to the town and killed everyone living there.
| וַיְהִי֩ כָל־הַנֹּ֨פְלִ֜ים בַּיֹּ֤ום הַהוּא֙ מֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אָ֑לֶף כֹּ֖ל אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעָֽי׃ | 25 |
Those who were killed that day numbered twelve thousand, men and women—all the inhabitants of Ai.
| וִיהֹושֻׁ֙עַ֙ לֹֽא־הֵשִׁ֣יב יָדֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָטָ֖ה בַּכִּידֹ֑ון עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱרִ֔ים אֵ֖ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָעָֽי׃ | 26 |
For Joshua had continued to hold up his spear until all the people of Ai had been destroyed.
| רַ֣ק הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וּשְׁלַל֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔יא בָּזְז֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה אֶת־יְהֹושֻֽׁעַ׃ | 27 |
Only the livestock and plunder were taken from the town by the Israelites, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.
| וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף יְהֹושֻׁ֖עַ אֶת־הָעָ֑י וַיְשִׂימֶ֤הָ תֵּל־עֹולָם֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ | 28 |
So Joshua burned the town of Ai, making it permanently into a heap of ruins where no one lives to this very day.
| וְאֶת־מֶ֧לֶךְ הָעַ֛י תָּלָ֥ה עַל־הָעֵ֖ץ עַד־עֵ֣ת הָעָ֑רֶב וּכְבֹ֣וא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ֩ צִוָּ֨ה יְהֹושֻׁ֜עַ וַיֹּרִ֧ידוּ אֶת־נִבְלָתֹ֣ו מִן־הָעֵ֗ץ וַיַּשְׁלִ֤יכוּ אֹותָהּ֙ אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֔יר וַיָּקִ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ גַּל־אֲבָנִ֣ים גָּדֹ֔ול עַ֖ד הַיֹּ֥ום הַזֶּֽה׃ פ | 29 |
He killed the king of Ai and hung his body on a tree until evening. When the sun went down Joshua ordered the body taken down. They threw it down in front of the entrance to the town gate and piled a heap of rocks over it which is still there today.
| אָ֣ז יִבְנֶ֤ה יְהֹושֻׁ֙עַ֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּהַ֖ר עֵיבָֽל׃ | 30 |
Then Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal for the Lord, the God of Israel.
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּה֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּכָּתוּב֙ בְּסֵ֙פֶר֙ תֹּורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִזְבַּח֙ אֲבָנִ֣ים שְׁלֵמֹ֔ות אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־הֵנִ֥יף עֲלֵיהֶ֖ן בַּרְזֶ֑ל וַיַּעֲל֨וּ עָלָ֤יו עֹלֹות֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה וַֽיִּזְבְּח֖וּ שְׁלָמִֽים׃ | 31 |
He did what Moses, the servant of the Lord, had told the Israelites to do, as recorded in the book of the Law of Moses: an altar of uncut stones which no one has worked with iron tools. On the altar they made burnt offerings and friendship offerings to the Lord.
| וַיִּכְתָּב־שָׁ֖ם עַל־הָאֲבָנִ֑ים אֵ֗ת מִשְׁנֵה֙ תֹּורַ֣ת מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּתַ֔ב לִפְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | 32 |
There in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua inscribed on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses.
| וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל וּזְקֵנָ֡יו וְשֹׁטְרִ֣ים ׀ וְשֹׁפְטָ֡יו עֹמְדִ֣ים מִזֶּ֣ה ׀ וּמִזֶּ֣ה ׀ לָאָרֹ֡ון נֶגֶד֩ הַכֹּהֲנִ֨ים הַלְוִיִּ֜ם נֹשְׂאֵ֣י ׀ אֲרֹ֣ון בְּרִית־יְהוָ֗ה כַּגֵּר֙ כָּֽאֶזְרָ֔ח חֶצְיֹו֙ אֶל־מ֣וּל הַר־גְּרִזִ֔ים וְהַֽחֶצְיֹ֖ו אֶל־מ֣וּל הַר־עֵיבָ֑ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֜ה מֹשֶׁ֣ה עֶֽבֶד־יְהוָ֗ה לְבָרֵ֛ךְ אֶת־הָעָ֥ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃ | 33 |
All the Israelites, the elders, the officers, and the judges stood in two groups facing each other with the priests, the Levites, and the Ark of the Lord's Agreement between them. (Included were the foreigners as well as the native born.) Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim, and half in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses had ordered, for the blessing of the people this first time.
| וְאֽ͏ַחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן קָרָא֙ אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַתֹּורָ֔ה הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה כְּכָל־הַכָּת֖וּב בְּסֵ֥פֶר הַתֹּורָֽה׃ | 34 |
Then Joshua read out the whole Law—all the blessings and curses recorded in the book of the Law.
| לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה דָבָ֔ר מִכֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה מֹשֶׁ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־קָרָ֜א יְהֹושֻׁ֗עַ נֶ֣גֶד כָּל־קְהַ֤ל יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְהַנָּשִׁ֣ים וְהַטַּ֔ף וְהַגֵּ֖ר הַהֹלֵ֥ךְ בְּקִרְבָּֽם׃ פ | 35 |
Joshua read out every word of Moses' instruction to the whole Israelite assembly, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who lived among them.
