Israel Destroys Ai
1Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. Go up and attack Ai. Take the whole army with you. I have handed the king of Ai over to you. I have given you his people, his city and his land. 2Remember what you did to Jericho and its king. You will do the same thing to Ai and its king. But this time you can keep for yourselves the livestock and everything else you take from them. Have some of your fighting men hide behind the city and take them by surprise.”
3So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose 30,000 of his best fighting men. He sent them out at night. 4He gave them orders. He said, “Listen carefully to what I’m saying. You must hide behind the city. Don’t go very far away from it. All of you must be ready to attack it. 5I and all those with me will march up to the city. The men of Ai will come out to fight against us, just as they did before. Then we’ll run away from them. 6They’ll chase us until we’ve drawn them away from the city. They’ll say, ‘They are running away from us, just as they did before.’ When we run away from them, 7come out of your hiding place. Capture the city. The Lord your God will hand it over to you. 8When you have taken it, set it on fire. Do what the Lord has commanded. Make sure you obey my orders.”
9Then Joshua sent them away. They went to the place where they had planned to hide. They hid in a place west of Ai. It was between Bethel and Ai. But Joshua spent that night with his troops.
10Early the next morning Joshua brought together his army. He and the leaders of Israel marched in front of them to Ai. 11The whole army that was with him marched up to the city. They stopped in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai. There was a valley between them and the city. 12Joshua had chosen about 5,000 soldiers. He had ordered them to hide in a place west of Ai. It was between Bethel and Ai. 13The men took up their battle positions. All the men in the camp north of the city took up their positions. So did those who were supposed to hide west of the city. That night Joshua went into the valley.
14The king of Ai saw what the troops with Joshua were doing. So the king and all his men hurried out of the city early in the morning. They marched out to meet Israel in battle. They went to a place that looked out over the Arabah Valley. The king didn’t know that some of Israel’s fighting men were hiding behind the city. 15Joshua and all his men let the men of Ai drive them back. The Israelites ran away toward the desert. 16All the men of Ai were called out to chase them. They chased Joshua. So they were drawn away from the city. 17Not even one man remained in Ai or Bethel. All of them went out to chase Israel. When they did, they left the city wide open.
18Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand. I will give the city to you.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin in his hand. 19As soon as he did, the men hiding behind the city got up quickly. They came out of their hiding places and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it. They quickly set it on fire.
20The men of Ai looked back. They saw smoke rising up from the city into the sky. But they couldn’t escape in any direction. The Israelites had been running away toward the desert. But now they turned around to face those chasing them. 21Joshua and all his men saw that the men who had been hiding behind the city had captured it. They also saw that smoke was going up from it. So they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22The men who had set Ai on fire came out of the city. They also fought against the men of Ai. So the men of Ai were caught in the middle. The army of Israel was on both sides of them. Israel struck them down. They didn’t let anyone remain alive or get away. 23But they captured the king of Ai alive. They brought him to Joshua.
24Israel finished killing all the men of Ai. They destroyed them in the fields and in the desert where they had chased them. They struck down every one of them with their swords. Then all the Israelites returned to Ai. And they killed those who were left in it. 25The total number of men and women they killed that day was 12,000. The Israelites put to death all the people of Ai. 26Joshua continued to hold out his javelin toward Ai. He didn’t lower his hand until he and his men had totally destroyed everyone who lived there. 27But this time Israel kept for themselves the livestock and everything else they had taken from the city. The Lord had directed Joshua to let them do it.
28So Joshua burned down Ai. He tore it down so it could never be built again. It has been deserted to this very day. 29Joshua killed the king of Ai. He stuck a pole through the body. Then he set it up where people could see it. He left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered his men to remove the body from the pole. He told them to throw the body down at the entrance of the city gate. They put a large pile of rocks over the body. That pile is still there to this day.
Joshua Reads the Book of the Law to the People
30Joshua built an altar to honor the Lord, the God of Israel. He built it on Mount Ebal. 31Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the Israelites to do that. Joshua built the altar according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. Joshua built the altar out of stones that iron tools had never touched. Then the people offered on the altar burnt offerings to the Lord. They also sacrificed friendship offerings on it. 32Joshua copied the law of Moses on stones. He did it while all the Israelites were watching. 33They were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord. All the Israelites, including outsiders and citizens, were there. Israel’s elders, officials and judges were also there. All of them faced the priests, who were Levites. They were carrying the ark. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim. The other half stood in front of Mount Ebal. Moses, the servant of the Lord, had earlier told them to do it. Moses told them to do it when he had given directions to bless the Israelites.
34Then Joshua read all the words of the law out loud. He read the blessings and the curses. He read them just as they are written in the Book of the Law. 35Joshua read every word Moses had commanded. He read them to the whole community of Israel. That included the women and children. It also included the outsiders living among them.
Kwanangwo kwa Ai
18:1 Kĩam 26:24; Gũcook 31:6; Josh 6:2Ningĩ Jehova akĩĩra Joshua atĩrĩ, “Ndũgetigĩre na ndũgakue ngoro. Thiĩ na mbũtũ yothe ya ita, mwambate mũgatharĩkĩre itũũra rĩa Ai. Nĩgũkorwo nĩneanĩte mũthamaki wa Ai moko-inĩ manyu, hamwe na andũ ake, na itũũra rĩake rĩu inene na bũrũri wake. 28:2 Kĩam 49:27; Gũcook 20:14Ĩkai itũũra rĩa Ai na mũthamaki warĩo o ta ũrĩa mwekire itũũra rĩa Jeriko na mũthamaki warĩo, o tiga atĩrĩ, no muoye indo iria mũgũtaha, o na mahiũ matuĩke manyu. Oheriai andũ a itũũra rĩu inene na mwena wa na thuutha.”
3Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Joshua na mbũtũ yothe ya ita makiumagara magatharĩkĩre Ai. Nake agĩthuura andũ 30,000 arĩa maarĩ njamba mũno akĩmatũma mathiĩ kũrĩ ũtukũ, 4akĩmeera atĩrĩ: “Ta thikĩrĩriai wega. Inyuĩ mũkuoheria andũ a itũũra rĩu inene na mwena warĩo wa na thuutha. Mũtigaikare haraaya narĩo. Inyuothe mũikare mwĩiguĩte. 5Niĩ na arĩa othe tũrĩ nao tũgũthengerera itũũra rĩu inene kuuma na mbere na rĩrĩa andũ acio mariumagara gũtũhũũra o ta ũrĩa meekire hĩndĩ ya mbere-rĩ, tũmoorĩre. 6Nao matũingatithie o nginya tũmaguucĩrĩrie biũ moime itũũra rĩu inene, nĩgũkorwo mariuga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ ithuĩ maroorĩra ta ũrĩa meekire rĩa mbere.’ Nĩ ũndũ ũcio rĩrĩa tũrĩĩmoorĩra-rĩ, 78:7 Atiir 7:7; 1Sam 23:4inyuĩ na inyuĩ mũkĩre muume kũrĩa mũmooheirie, mũtharĩkĩre itũũra rĩu inene na mũrĩtunyane. Jehova Ngai wanyu nĩekũrĩneana moko-inĩ manyu. 8Na rĩrĩ, mwarĩkia kwĩgwatĩra itũũra rĩu inene-rĩ, mũrĩcine. Ĩkai o ta ũrĩa Jehova aathanĩte gwĩkwo. Mũtigĩrĩre nĩ mweka ũguo ndamwatha.”
9Nake Joshua akĩmeera moimagare, nao magĩthiĩ harĩa maathiiaga kuoheria andũ a itũũra rĩu, na makĩĩhitha metereire gatagatĩ ka Betheli na Ai, mwena wa ithũĩro wa Ai, no Joshua araaranirie na andũ arĩa angĩ ũtukũ ũcio.
108:10 Kĩam 22:3Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ rũciinĩ tene, Joshua agĩcookanĩrĩria andũ ake, nake we mwene hamwe na atongoria a Isiraeli makĩmatongoria marorete Ai. 11Mbũtũ yothe ya ita ĩrĩa yarĩ hamwe nake ĩgĩthiĩ yambatĩte, ĩgĩkuhĩrĩria itũũra rĩu inene mariumĩte na mbere. Nao makĩamba hema mwena wa gathigathini wa Ai, na hagĩkorwo nĩ haarĩ gĩtuamba gatagatĩ kao na itũũra rĩu inene. 12Joshua nĩakoretwo oete andũ ta 5,000 na akamaiga moheirie andũ kũu gatagatĩ ka Betheli na Ai, mwena wa ithũĩro wa itũũra rĩu inene. 13Magĩgĩatha thigari ciikare ciĩhaarĩirie o andũ handũ hao, iria ciothe ciarĩ kambĩ igĩikara mwena wa gathigathini wa itũũra rĩu inene, na iria cioheirie andũ mwena wa ithũĩro warĩo. Naguo ũtukũ ũcio Joshua agĩthiĩ kũraara kũu gĩtuamba-inĩ.
148:14 Gũcook 1:1; Atiir 20:34Rĩrĩa mũthamaki wa Ai onire ũndũ ũcio, agĩũkĩra na ihenya rũciinĩ tene, akiumagara na ihenya hamwe na andũ othe a itũũra rĩu inene nĩguo agacemanie na Isiraeli marũe mbaara handũ hana haangʼethanĩire na Araba. No rĩrĩ, ndaigana kũmenya atĩ nĩmehithĩirwo na mwena wa thuutha wa itũũra rĩu inene. 158:15 Atiir 20:36; Josh 15:61Nake Joshua na andũ a Isiraeli othe magĩĩtua ta mahũũrĩtwo magatoorio, nao makĩũra marorete na werũ-inĩ. 168:16 Atiir 20:31Nao andũ othe a itũũra rĩa Ai magĩĩtwo nĩguo mamarũmĩrĩre, nao magĩtengʼeria Joshua makĩguucĩrĩrio makiuma itũũra rĩao. 17Gũtirĩ mũndũ mũrũme o na ũmwe wa Ai kana Betheli ũtoimire gũthiĩ gũkinyĩra andũ a Isiraeli. Magĩtiga itũũra rĩu rĩtaahingĩtwo magĩtengʼeria andũ a Isiraeli.
188:18 Ayub 41:26; Thaam 4:2Nake Jehova akĩĩra Joshua atĩrĩ, “Ambararia itimũ rĩu ũnyiitĩte na guoko, ũrĩrorie mwena wa Ai, nĩgũkorwo nĩngũneana itũũra rĩu inene moko-inĩ manyu.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Joshua akĩambararia itimũ rĩake akĩrĩroria Ai. 198:19 Atiir 20:33Na rĩrĩ, Joshua aarĩkia gwĩka ũguo, arũme arĩa moohetie andũ magĩũkĩra narua, magĩtengʼera na ihenya, magĩtoonya itũũra rĩu na makĩrĩtunyana, ningĩ makĩrĩgwatia mwaki o narua.
208:20 Atiir 20:40Na rĩrĩa andũ acio a Ai maarorire na thuutha na makĩona ndogo yumĩte itũũra rĩu yambatĩte na igũrũ-rĩ, nao makĩaga mweke wa gwĩthara na mwena o na ũrĩkũ, nĩgũkorwo andũ a Isiraeli arĩa morĩte marorete werũ-inĩ nĩmagarũrũkĩire acio maamatengʼeragia. 218:21 Atiir 20:41Rĩrĩa Joshua na Isiraeli othe moonire atĩ andũ ao arĩa mooheirie andũ thuutha wa itũũra nĩmarĩtunyanĩte, na makĩona ndogo ĩgĩtoga kuuma itũũra, makĩgarũrũka na makĩũraga andũ acio a Ai. 228:22 Gũcook 7:2Nao andũ arĩa maamohetie makiuma itũũra rĩu inene matharĩkĩre. Andũ a Ai magĩgĩĩkĩrwo gatagatĩ ka andũ a Isiraeli, makĩmagĩa mbere na thuutha. Andũ a Isiraeli makĩmaniina, na matiatigirie mũndũ o na ũmwe arĩ muoyo, kana makĩreka o na ũmwe ahonoke. 23No nĩmanyiitire mũthamaki wa Ai arĩ muoyo, makĩmũtwarĩra Joshua.
24Rĩrĩa andũ a Isiraeli maarĩkirie kũũraga andũ othe a Ai arĩa maarĩ gĩthaka-inĩ na kũu werũ-inĩ, kũrĩa maamatengʼereirie-rĩ, na rĩrĩa andũ acio othe maarĩkirie kũũragwo na rũhiũ rwa njora-rĩ, andũ a Isiraeli othe magĩcooka Ai na makĩũraga andũ arĩa othe maarĩ kuo. 258:25 Gũcook 20:16-18Andũ arĩa mooragirwo mũthenya ũcio maarĩ andũ 12,000, arũme na andũ-a-nja; nao nĩo andũ othe a itũũra rĩa Ai. 268:26 Thaam 17:12; Ndar 21:2Nĩgũkorwo Joshua ndaigana gũthuna guoko kũrĩa kwambararĩtie itimũ rĩake nginya rĩrĩa aarĩkirie kũniina andũ arĩa othe maatũũraga Ai. 278:27 Josh 8:2Nao andũ a Isiraeli magĩkuuĩra ũhiũ na indo iria maatahĩte kuuma itũũra rĩu inene, o ta ũrĩa Jehova aathĩte Joshua.
288:28 Ndar 31:10; Gũcook 13:16Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Joshua agĩcina Ai na akĩrĩtua hĩba ya mwanangĩko ya gũtũũra, gũgĩtuĩka kũndũ gũkirĩte ihooru nginya ũmũthĩ. 29Joshua agĩcooka agĩcuuria mũthamaki ũcio wa Ai mũtĩ igũrũ, akĩreka aikare ho o nginya hwaĩ-inĩ. Riũa rĩgĩthũa-rĩ, Joshua agĩathana atĩ mwĩrĩ ũcio ũrutwo mũtĩ igũrũ, ũikio hau itoonyero-inĩ rĩa kĩhingo gĩa itũũra rĩu, magĩcooka makĩũigĩrĩra hĩba nene ya mahiga, nayo ĩrĩ o ho nginya ũmũthĩ.
Kwerũhia Kĩrĩkanĩro Kĩrĩma-inĩ kĩa Ebali
30Thuutha wa ũguo Joshua agĩakĩra Jehova, o we Ngai wa Isiraeli, kĩgongona o kũu kĩrĩma-inĩ kĩa Ebali, 318:31 Thaam 20:25; Gũcook 27:6-7o ta ũrĩa Musa ndungata ya Jehova aathĩte andũ a Isiraeli. Aagĩakire o ta ũrĩa kwandĩkĩtwo thĩinĩ wa Ibuku rĩa Watho wa Musa, kĩgongona kĩrĩ kĩa mahiga matarĩ maicũhie, hatarĩ indo cia wĩra cia kĩgera ikũhũthĩrwo ho. Igũrũ rĩakĩo makĩrutĩra Jehova maruta ma njino na magongona ma ũiguano. 328:32 Gũcook 27:8Nake Joshua akĩandĩka watho wa Musa igũrũ rĩa mahiga macio, aandĩkire andũ a Isiraeli marĩ ho makĩĩonagĩra. 338:33 Alaw 16:29; Gũcook 11:29Na rĩrĩ, andũ a Isiraeli othe, na andũ a kũngĩ na ene bũrũri o ũndũ ũmwe, hamwe na athuuri ao, na anene na atuithania ciira, makĩrũgama mĩena yeerĩ ya ithandũkũ rĩa kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa Jehova mangʼetheire athĩnjĩri-Ngai, arĩa maarĩ Alawii na nĩo maarĩkuuaga. Nuthu ya andũ yarũgamĩte mbere ya kĩrĩma kĩa Gerizimu, na nuthu ĩyo ĩngĩ ĩkarũgama mbere ya kĩrĩma kĩa Ebali, o ta ũrĩa Musa ndungata ya Jehova aathanĩte mbere ĩyo rĩrĩa aarutanire ũhoro wa kũrathimaga andũ a Isiraeli.
348:34 Gũcook 31:11Thuutha ũcio, Joshua agĩthoma ciugo ciothe cia Watho, agĩthoma irathimo o na agĩthoma irumi, o ta ũrĩa kwaandĩkĩtwo Ibuku-inĩ rĩa Watho. 358:35 Thaam 12:38Gũtirĩ kiugo o na kĩmwe kĩa iria ciothe Musa aathanĩte Joshua ataathomeire kĩũngano kĩu gĩothe kĩa Isiraeli, o hamwe na andũ-a-nja na ciana na andũ o kũngĩ arĩa maatũũranagia nao.
