Die Landnahme
The Battle of Ai
Joshua leads a strategic operation against the city of Ai by using an ambush and a false retreat to lure out the enemy, before destroying the city and executing its king.
Josua 8,1-29
1Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or dismayed. Take the whole army with you and go up against Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ אַל־תִּירָ֣א וְאַל־תֵּחָ֔ת קַ֣ח עִמְּךָ֗ אֵ֚ת כָּל־עַ֣ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְק֖וּם עֲלֵ֣ה הָעָ֑י רְאֵ֣ה ׀ נָתַ֣תִּי בְיָדְךָ֗ אֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ הָעַי֙ וְאֶת־עַמּ֔וֹ וְאֶת־עִיר֖וֹ וְאֶת־אַרְצֽוֹ׃
2Do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may take its spoil and its livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city."
וְעָשִׂ֨יתָ לָעַ֜י וּלְמַלְכָּ֗הּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשִׂ֤יתָ לִּֽירִיחוֹ֙ וּלְמַלְכָּ֔הּ רַק־שְׁלָלָ֥הּ וּבְהֶמְתָּ֖הּ תָּבֹ֣זּוּ לָכֶ֑ם שִׂים־לְךָ֥ אֹרֵ֛ב לָעִ֖יר מֵאַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃
3So Joshua and the whole army set out to go up against Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty warriors and sent them out by night,
וַיָּ֧קָם יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ וְכָל־עַ֥ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה לַעֲל֣וֹת הָעָ֑י וַיִּבְחַ֣ר יְ֠הוֹשֻׁעַ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף אִישׁ֙ גִּבּוֹרֵ֣י הַחַ֔יִל וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֖ם לָֽיְלָה׃
4giving them these orders: "Listen carefully. You are to lie in ambush behind the city. Do not go far from it, and all of you stay ready.
וַיְצַ֨ו אֹתָ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר רְ֠אוּ אַתֶּ֞ם אֹרְבִ֤ים לָעִיר֙ מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י הָעִ֔יר אַל־תַּרְחִ֥יקוּ מִן־הָעִ֖יר מְאֹ֑ד וִהְיִיתֶ֥ם כֻּלְּכֶ֖ם נְכֹנִֽים׃
5I and all the men with me will approach the city, and when they come out against us as they did before, we will flee from them.
וַאֲנִ֗י וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתִּ֔י נִקְרַ֖ב אֶל־הָעִ֑יר וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־יֵצְא֤וּ לִקְרָאתֵ֙נוּ֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֔ה וְנַ֖סְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
6They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, 'They are running from us as they did before.' So we will flee from them.
וְיָצְא֣וּ אַחֲרֵ֗ינוּ עַ֣ד הַתִּיקֵ֤נוּ אוֹתָם֙ מִן־הָעִ֔יר כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ נָסִ֣ים לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בָּרִֽאשֹׁנָ֑ה וְנַ֖סְנוּ לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
7Then you will rise up from the ambush and take possession of the city, for the LORD your God will give it into your hand.
וְאַתֶּ֗ם תָּקֻ֙מוּ֙ מֵהָ֣אוֹרֵ֔ב וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֖ם אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וּנְתָנָ֛הּ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֖ם בְּיֶדְכֶֽם׃
8When you have captured the city, set it on fire. Do as the LORD has commanded. See, these are my orders to you."
וְהָיָ֞ה כְּתָפְשְׂכֶ֣ם אֶת־הָעִ֗יר תַּצִּ֤יתוּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ בָּאֵ֔שׁ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ רְא֖וּ צִוִּ֥יתִי אֶתְכֶֽם׃
9So Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and took up position between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people.
וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֣ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֶל־הַמַּאְרָ֔ב וַיֵּשְׁב֗וּ בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י מִיָּ֣ם לָעָ֑י וַיָּ֧לֶן יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַה֖וּא בְּת֥וֹךְ הָעָֽם׃
10Early the next morning Joshua mustered the people, and he and the elders of Israel went up ahead of them to Ai.
וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֤ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַיִּפְקֹ֖ד אֶת־הָעָ֑ם וַיַּ֨עַל ה֜וּא וְזִקְנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לִפְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם הָעָֽי׃
11The whole army that was with him marched up, drew near, and took up position opposite the city. They camped north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city.
וְכָל־הָעָ֨ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֜ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֗וֹ עָלוּ֙ וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֔וּ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ נֶ֣גֶד הָעִ֑יר וַֽיַּחֲנוּ֙ מִצְּפ֣וֹן לָעַ֔י וְהַגַּ֖י *בינו **בֵּינָ֥יו וּבֵין־הָעָֽי׃
12Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, west of the city.
וַיִּקַּ֕ח כַּחֲמֵ֥שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֖ים אִ֑ישׁ וַיָּ֨שֶׂם אוֹתָ֜ם אֹרֵ֗ב בֵּ֧ין בֵּֽית־אֵ֛ל וּבֵ֥ין הָעַ֖י מִיָּ֥ם לָעִֽיר׃
13So the forces took their positions—the main camp north of the city and the rear guard west of it—and that night Joshua went out into the middle of the valley.
וַיָּשִׂ֨ימוּ הָעָ֜ם אֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֙ מִצְּפ֣וֹן לָעִ֔יר וְאֶת־עֲקֵב֖וֹ מִיָּ֣ם לָעִ֑יר וַיֵּ֧לֶךְ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ בַּלַּ֥יְלָה הַה֖וּא בְּת֥וֹךְ הָעֵֽמֶק׃
14When the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people hurried out early to meet Israel in battle at the appointed place facing the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city.
וַיְהִ֞י כִּרְא֣וֹת מֶֽלֶךְ־הָעַ֗י וַֽיְמַהֲר֡וּ וַיַּשְׁכִּ֡ימוּ וַיֵּצְא֣וּ אַנְשֵֽׁי־הָעִ֣יר לִקְרַֽאת־יִ֠שְׂרָאֵל לַֽמִּלְחָמָ֞ה ה֧וּא וְכָל־עַמּ֛וֹ לַמּוֹעֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֣י הָֽעֲרָבָ֑ה וְהוּא֙ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔ע כִּֽי־אֹרֵ֥ב ל֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הָעִֽיר׃
15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them and fled toward the wilderness.
וַיִּנָּֽ[m]גְע֛וּ יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ דֶּ֥רֶךְ הַמִּדְבָּֽר׃
16All the men of Ai were summoned to give chase, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn far from the city.
וַיִּזָּעֲק֗וּ כָּל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר *בעיר **בָּעַ֔י לִרְדֹּ֖ף אַחֲרֵיהֶ֑ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפוּ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיִּנָּתְק֖וּ מִן־הָעִֽיר׃
17Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city wide open and pursued Israel.
וְלֹֽא־נִשְׁאַ֣ר אִ֗ישׁ בָּעַי֙ וּבֵ֣ית אֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָצְא֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיַּעַזְב֤וּ אֶת־הָעִיר֙ פְּתוּחָ֔ה וַֽיִּרְדְּפ֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
18Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out toward Ai the javelin in your hand, for I will give the city into your hand." So Joshua stretched out the javelin in his hand toward the city.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ נְ֠טֵה בַּכִּיד֤וֹן אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־הָעַ֔י כִּ֥י בְיָדְךָ֖ אֶתְּנֶ֑נָּה וַיֵּ֧ט יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ בַּכִּיד֥וֹן אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָד֖וֹ אֶל־הָעִֽיר׃
19The moment he stretched out his hand, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position and ran. They entered the city, captured it, and set it on fire at once.
וְהָאוֹרֵ֡ב קָם֩ מְהֵרָ֨ה מִמְּקוֹמ֤וֹ וַיָּר֙וּצוּ֙ כִּנְט֣וֹת יָד֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ הָעִ֖יר וַֽיִּלְכְּד֑וּהָ וַֽיְמַהֲר֔וּ וַיַּצִּ֥יתוּ אֶת־הָעִ֖יר בָּאֵֽשׁ׃
20When the men of Ai looked back, they saw the smoke of the city rising to the sky, and they had no strength to flee in any direction, for the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness now turned on their pursuers.
וַיִּפְנ֣וּ אַנְשֵׁי֩ הָעַ֨י אַחֲרֵיהֶ֜ם וַיִּרְא֗וּ וְהִנֵּ֨ה עָלָ֜ה עֲשַׁ֤ן הָעִיר֙ הַשָּׁמַ֔יְמָה וְלֹא־הָיָ֨ה בָהֶ֥ם יָדַ֛יִם לָנ֖וּס הֵ֣נָּה וָהֵ֑נָּה וְהָעָם֙ הַנָּ֣ס הַמִּדְבָּ֔ר נֶהְפַּ֖ךְ אֶל־הָרוֹדֵֽף׃
21For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was rising from it, they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֨עַ וְכָֽל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל רָא֗וּ כִּֽי־לָכַ֤ד הָֽאֹרֵב֙ אֶת־הָעִ֔יר וְכִ֥י עָלָ֖ה עֲשַׁ֣ן הָעִ֑יר וַיָּשֻׁ֕בוּ וַיַּכּ֖וּ אֶת־אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעָֽי׃
22The others came out of the city against them, so that the men of Ai were caught in the middle, with Israelites on this side and on that. Israel cut them down, leaving no survivor and none who escaped.
וְאֵ֨לֶּה יָצְא֤וּ מִן־הָעִיר֙ לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּֽהְי֤וּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בַּתָּ֔וֶךְ אֵ֥לֶּה מִזֶּ֖ה וְאֵ֣לֶּה מִזֶּ֑ה וַיַּכּ֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם עַד־בִּלְתִּ֥י הִשְׁאִֽיר־ל֖וֹ שָׂרִ֥יד וּפָלִֽיט׃
23But the king of Ai they took alive and brought to Joshua.
וְאֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ הָעַ֖י תָּ֣פְשׂוּ חָ֑י וַיַּקְרִ֥בוּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃
24When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open country and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and every one of them had fallen by the sword until none were left, all Israel returned to Ai and put it to the sword.
וַיְהִ֣י כְּכַלּ֣וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל לַהֲרֹג֩ אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י הָעַ֜י בַּשָּׂדֶ֗ה בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רְדָפ֣וּם בּ֔וֹ וַֽיִּפְּל֥וּ כֻלָּ֛ם לְפִי־חֶ֖רֶב עַד־תֻּמָּ֑ם וַיָּשֻׁ֤בוּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הָעַ֔י וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֹתָ֖הּ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃
25Twelve thousand fell that day, men and women alike—all the people of Ai.
וַיְהִי֩ כָל־הַנֹּ֨פְלִ֜ים בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ מֵאִ֣ישׁ וְעַד־אִשָּׁ֔ה שְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָׂ֖ר אָ֑לֶף כֹּ֖ל אַנְשֵׁ֥י הָעָֽי׃
26Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out the javelin until he had devoted to destruction all who lived in Ai.
וִיהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ לֹֽא־הֵשִׁ֣יב יָד֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָטָ֖ה בַּכִּיד֑וֹן עַ֚ד אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶחֱרִ֔ים אֵ֖ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָעָֽי׃
27Only the livestock and the spoil of that city did Israel take for themselves, just as the LORD had commanded Joshua.
רַ֣ק הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וּשְׁלַל֙ הָעִ֣יר הַהִ֔יא בָּזְז֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖ה אֶת־יְהוֹשֻֽׁעַ׃
28So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day.
וַיִּשְׂרֹ֥ף יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ אֶת־הָעָ֑י וַיְשִׂימֶ֤הָ תֵּל־עוֹלָם֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
29He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua ordered that his body be taken down from the tree and thrown at the entrance of the city gate. Over it they raised a great heap of stones, which is there to this day.
וְאֶת־מֶ֧לֶךְ הָעַ֛י תָּלָ֥ה עַל־הָעֵ֖ץ עַד־עֵ֣ת הָעָ֑רֶב וּכְב֣וֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ֩ צִוָּ֨ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ וַיֹּרִ֧ידוּ אֶת־נִבְלָת֣וֹ מִן־הָעֵ֗ץ וַיַּשְׁלִ֤יכוּ אוֹתָהּ֙ אֶל־פֶּ֙תַח֙ שַׁ֣עַר הָעִ֔יר וַיָּקִ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ גַּל־אֲבָנִ֣ים גָּד֔וֹל עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ פ