"Onlyin the citiesof thesepeoplesthat the LORDyour Godis givingyou as an inheritance,you shall not leavealiveanythingthat breathes.
So they killedhim and his sonsand allhis people,untilthere was noremnantlefthim; and they possessedhis land.
"Nowtherefore, killeverymaleamong the littleones,and killeverywomanwho has knownmanintimately.
then you shall driveout allthe inhabitantsof the landfrom beforeyou, and destroyalltheir figuredstones,and destroyalltheir moltenimagesand demolishalltheir highplaces;
"Thusyou shall doto allthe citiesthat are veryfarfrom you, whichare not of the citiesof thesenationsnearby.
"But you shall utterlydestroythem, the Hittiteand the Amorite,the Canaaniteand the Perizzite,the Hiviteand the Jebusite,as the LORDyour Godhas commandedyou,
[then] her formerhusbandwhosenther awayis not allowedto takeher againto be his wife,sinceshe has been defiled;for that is an abominationbeforethe LORD,and you shall not bringsinon the landwhichthe LORDyour Godgivesyou as an inheritance.
"The LORDwill deliverthem up beforeyou, and you shall doto them according to allthe commandmentswhichI have commandedyou.
"Now the LORDwas angrywith me on your account,and sworethat I would not crossthe Jordan,and that I would not enterthe goodlandwhichthe LORDyour Godis givingyou as an inheritance.
"You shall consumeallthe peopleswhomthe LORDyour Godwill deliverto you; your eyeshall not pitythem, norshall you servetheir gods,for that [would be] a snareto you.
It cameabout when Joshuaand the sonsof Israelhad finishedslayingthem with a verygreatslaughter,untilthey were destroyed,and the survivors[who] remainedof them had enteredthe fortifiedcities,
Now JoshuacapturedMakkedahon that day,and struckit and its kingwith the edgeof the sword;he utterlydestroyedit and everypersonwhowas in it. He leftnosurvivor.Thus he didto the kingof Makkedahjustas he had doneto the kingof Jericho.
Thus Joshuastruckallthe land,the hillcountryand the Negevand the lowlandand the slopesand alltheir kings.He leftnosurvivor,but he utterlydestroyedallwhobreathed,justas the LORD,the Godof Israel,had commanded.
Allthe spoilof thesecitiesand the cattle,the sonsof Israeltookas their plunder;but they struckeverymanwith the edgeof the sword,untilthey had destroyedthem. They leftnoonewhobreathed.
They burnedthe citywith fire,and allthat was in it. Onlythe silverand gold,and articlesof bronzeand iron,they putinto the treasuryof the houseof the LORD.
Allwho fellthat day,bothmenand women,were 12,000 -- allthe peopleof Ai.
"Then it will be when you have seizedthe city,that you shall setthe cityon fire.You shall do[it] according to the wordof the LORD.See,I have commandedyou."
So they answeredJoshuaand said,"Becauseit was certainlytoldyour servantsthat the LORDyour Godhad commandedHis servantMosesto giveyou allthe land,and to destroyallthe inhabitantsof the landbeforeyou; therefore we fearedgreatlyfor our livesbecauseof you, and have donethisthing.
But Joshuamadethem that dayhewersof woodand drawersof waterfor the congregationand for the altarof the LORD,to thisday,in the placewhichHe would choose.
The menof Israelsaidto the Hivites,"Perhapsyou are livingwithinour land;howthen shall we makea covenantwith you?"
Nowgoand strikeAmalekand utterlydestroyallthat he has, and do not sparehim; but putto deathbothmanand woman,childand infant,oxand sheep,cameland donkey.'"
