² Then the ^(A)Philistines put themselves in battle array against Israel. And when they joined battle, Israel was ^[a]defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men of the army in the field.

²¹ For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army.

⁸ Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the ^(A)servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

^12 (A)Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because ^(B)they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.

⁵ And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore ^(A)the^[a] hearts of the people melted and became like water.

⁶ Then Joshua ^(B)tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they ^(C)put dust on their heads. ⁷ And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord ^[b]God, ^(D)why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan! ⁸ O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its ^[c]back before its enemies?