So not a manwas leftin Aior Bethelwhohad not goneout afterIsrael,and they leftthe cityunguardedand pursuedIsrael.
"He capturesthe wiseby their own shrewdness,And the adviceof the cunningis quicklythwarted.
"But Sihonkingof Heshbonwas not willingfor us to passthrough his land; for the LORDyour Godhardenedhis spiritand madehis heartobstinate,in orderto deliverhim into your hand,as [he is] today.
For it was of the LORDto hardentheir hearts,to meetIsraelin battlein orderthat he might utterlydestroythem, that they might receivenomercy,but that he might destroythem, justas the LORDhad commandedMoses.
And allthe peoplewhowere in the citywere calledtogetherto pursuethem, and they pursuedJoshuaand were drawnawayfrom the city.
Then the LORDsaidto Joshua,"Stretchout the javelinthat is in your handtowardAi,for I will giveit into your hand."So Joshuastretchedout the javelinthat was in his handtowardthe city.
So Joshuarosewith allthe peopleof warto goup to Ai;and Joshuachose30000men,valiantwarriors,and sentthem out at night.
The sonsof Benjaminwentout againstthe peopleand were drawnawayfrom the city,and they beganto strikeand killsomeof the peopleas at othertimes,on the highways,oneof whichgoesup to Betheland the otherto Gibeah,[and] in the field,about thirtymenof Israel.
