And Y'howshu`a sent men from Yericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Beit-El, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
And their border on the north side was from Yarden; and the border went up to the side of Yericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven.
And the Plishtim gathered themselves together to fight with Yisrael, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beit-El, and pitched his tent, having Beit-El on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto YY , and called upon the name of YY .
And Y'howshu`a the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Yericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named RAchav, and lodged there.
And they returned to Y'howshu`a, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his kohanim and his princes together.