10. Early the next morning he got his troops ready to move out, and he and the other leaders of Israel led them to Ai.
11. They set up camp in full view of the town, across the valley to the north.
12. Joshua had already sent five thousand soldiers to the west side of the town to hide and wait to attack.
13. Now all his troops were in place. Part of the army was in the camp to the north of Ai, and the others were hiding to the west, ready to make a surprise attack. That night, Joshua went into the valley.
14-15. The king of Ai saw Joshua's army, so the king and his troops hurried out early the next morning to fight them. Joshua and his army pretended to be beaten, and they let the men of Ai chase them towards the desert. The king and his army were facing the Jordan Valley as Joshua had planned.The king did not realize that some Israelite soldiers were hiding behind the town.
16-17. So he called out every man in Ai to go after Joshua's troops. They all rushed out to chase the Israelite army, and they left the town gates wide open. Not one man was left in Ai or in Bethel.Joshua let the men of Ai chase him and his army further and further away from Ai.
18. Finally, the Lord told Joshua, “Point your sword at the town of Ai, because now I am going to help you defeat it!”As soon as Joshua pointed his sword at the town,