Joshua 8:18-21

Contemporary English Version

¹⁸ Finally, the Lord told Joshua, “Point your sword^[a] 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, ¹⁹ the soldiers who had been hiding jumped up and ran into the town. They captured it and set it on fire.

^20-21 When Joshua and his troops saw smoke rising from the town, they knew that the other part of their army had captured it. So they turned and attacked.

The men of Ai looked back and saw smoke rising from their town. But they could not escape, because the soldiers they had been chasing had suddenly turned and started fighting.