Joshua 8:16-18

Contemporary English Version

^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.^[a]

Joshua let the men of Ai chase him and his army farther and farther away from Ai. ¹⁸ Finally, the Lord told Joshua, “Point your sword^[b] 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,