So Joshua sent them out, and they went to their hiding place and waited there, west of Ai, between Ai and Bethel. Joshua spent the night in camp.
After that, he moved on south to the hill country east of the city of Bethel and set up his camp between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There also he built an altar and worshiped the Lord.
He sent the gifts on ahead of him and spent that night in camp.
Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai, a city east of Bethel, near Bethaven, with orders to go and explore the land. When they had done so,
Early in the morning Joshua got up and called the soldiers together. Then he and the leaders of Israel led them to Ai.
He took about five thousand men and put them in hiding west of the city, between Ai and Bethel.
After you have taken the city, set it on fire, just as the Lord has commanded. These are your orders.”
He sent it to the people in Bethel, to the people in Ramah in the southern part of Judah, and to the people in the towns of Jattir,