So JoshuaburnedAiand madeit a heapforever,a desolationuntilthisday.
Have you not heard?LongagoI didit; From ancienttimesI plannedit. NowI have broughtit to pass,That you should turnfortifiedcitiesinto ruinousheaps.
The oracleconcerning Damascus."Behold,Damascusis about to be removedfrom being a cityAnd will becomea fallenruin.
For You have madea cityinto a heap,A fortifiedcityinto a ruin;A palaceof strangersis a citynomore,It will neverbe rebuilt.
"Thereforebehold,the daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"That I will cause a trumpetblastof warto be heardAgainstRabbahof the sonsof Ammon;And it will becomea desolateheap,And her townswill be seton fire.Then Israelwill takepossessionof his possessors,"Saysthe LORD.
Cometo her from the farthestborder;Openup her barns,Pileher up likeheapsAnd utterlydestroyher, Let nothingbe leftto her.
"I will makeJerusalema heapof ruins, A hauntof jackals;And I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolation,withoutinhabitant."
Therefore,on accountof you Zionwill be plowedas a field,Jerusalemwill becomea heapof ruins,And the mountainof the temple[will become] highplacesof a forest.
"Then you shall gatherallits bootyinto the middleof its opensquareand burnthe cityand allits bootywith fireas a wholeburntofferingto the LORDyour God;and it shall be a ruinforever.It shall neverbe rebuilt.
"Nothingfrom that whichis put underthe banshall clingto your hand,in orderthat the LORDmay turnfrom His burningangerand showmercyto you, and havecompassionon you and make you increase,justas He has swornto your fathers,
Then Joshuasetup twelvestonesin the middleof the Jordanat the placewherethe feetof the priestswho carriedthe arkof the covenantwere standing,and they are thereto thisday.
He hangedthe kingof Aion a treeuntilevening;and at sunsetJoshuagavecommandand they tookhis bodydownfrom the treeand threwit at the entranceof the citygate,and raisedoverit a greatheapof stones[that stands] to thisday.
