Joshua 8

NEW JERUSALEM	Peshitta
1 Yahweh then said to Joshua, 'Be fearless and undaunted. Take all your fighting men with you. Up!March against Ai. Look, I have put the king of Ai, his people, his town and his territory at your mercy.	1 ܘܐܡܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܝܫܘܥ ܠܐ ܬܕܚܠ ܘܠܐ ܬܙܘܥ ܕܒܪ ܥܡܟ ܠܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܘܥܒܕ ܩܪܒܐ ܘܩܘܡ ܣܩ ܠܥܝ ܡܛܠ ܕܐܫ̇ܠܡܬܗ ܒܐ̈ܝܕܝܟ ܠܡܠܟܐ ܕܥܝ ܘܠܥܡܗ ܘܠܡܕܝܢܬܗ ܘܠܐܪܥܗ
2 You must treat Ai and its king as you treated Jericho and its king. The only booty you wil take are thespoils and the cattle. Take up a concealed position by the town, to the rear of it.'	2 ܘܥܒܕ ܠܥܝ ܘܠܡܠܟܗ̇ ܐܝܟ ܕܥܒܕܬ ܠܐܝܪܝܚܘ ܘܠܡܠܟܗ̇ ܒܠܚܘܕ ܕܝܢ ܒܙܬܐ ܘܒܥܝܪܐ ܒܘܙܘ ܠܟܘܢ ܘܐܟܡܢܘ ܠܟܘܢ ܟܡܐܢܐ ܡܢ ܒܣܬܪܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ
3 Joshua set out to march against Ai with all the fighting men. Joshua chose thirty thousand of the bravestand sent them out under cover of dark,	3 ܘܩܡ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܥ̇ܒ̈ܕܝ ܩܪܒܐ ܠܡܣܩ ܠܥܝ ܘܓܒܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܬܠܬܐ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܓܒܪ̈ܝܢ ܕܓܢܒܪ̈ܝܢ ܒܚܝܠܗܘܢ ܘܫܕܪ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܠܠܝܐ
4 having given them these orders, 'Pay attention! You must take up a concealed position by the town, atthe rear, not very far from the town, and be sure you all keep alert!	4 ܘܦܩܕ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܐܡܪ ܠܗܘܢ ܚܙܘ ܡܐ ܕܟ̇ܡܢܝܢ ܐܢܬܘܢ ܥܠ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܢ ܒܣܬܪܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܠܐ ܬܪܚܩܘܢ ܛܒ ܡܢܗ̇ ܡܢ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܗܘܝܬܘܢ ܡܛܝܒܝܢ ܟܠܟܘܢ
5 I, and the whole people with me, shal advance on the town, and when the people of Ai come out toengage us as they did the first time, we shal run away from them.	5 ܘܐܢܐ ܘܥܡܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܥܡܝ ܢܬܩܪܒ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܡܐ ܕܢܦܩܘ ܠܐܘܪܥܢ ܐܝܟ ܕܒܩܕܡܝܬܐ ܗܐ ܥ̇ܪܩܝܢܢ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ
6 They wil then give chase, and we shal draw them away from the town, since they wil think, "They arerunning away from us as they did the first time."	6 ܘܢ̇ܦܩܝܢ ܒܬܪܢ ܘܪܕܦ̇ܝܢ ܠܢ ܡܢ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܡܛܠ ܕܐ̇ܡܪܝܢ ܕܥ̇ܪܩܝܢ ܐܢܘܢ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܢ ܐܝܟ ܕܒܩܕܡܝܬܐ. ܘܚܢܢ ܗܐ ܥ̇ܪܩܝܢܢ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ.
7 You wil then burst out of your concealed position and seize the town; Yahweh your God wil put it atyour mercy.	7 ܘܐܢܬܘܢ ܩܘܡܘ ܡܢ ܟܡܐܢܟܘܢ ܘܚܘܪܒܘܗ̇ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܢܫܠܡܝܗ̇ ܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܟܘܢ ܒܐ̈ܝܕܝܟܘܢ
8 When you have captured the town, set fire to it, in obedience to Yahweh's command. Wel then, theseare my orders.'	8 ܘܡܐ ܕܐܚܕܬܘܢܗ̇ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܐܘܩܕܘܗ̇ ܒܢܘܪܐ ܘܐܝܟ ܡܠܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܥܒܕܘ ܘܚܙܘ ܕܝܢ ܕܦܩ̇ܕܬܟܘܢ
9 Joshua sent them off, and they made their way to the place of ambush and took up position betweenBethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. Joshua spent the night with the people,	9 ܘܫܕܪ ܐܢܘܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܙܠܘ ܠܒܝܬ ܟܡܐܢܐ ܘܐܝܬܒܘ ܒܝܢܬ ܒܝܬ ܐܝܠ ܠܥܝ ܡܢ ܡܥܪܒܝܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܒܬ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܒܓܘ ܥܡܐ
10 then, getting up early next morning, reviewed the people and, with the elders of Israel, marched on Aiat their head.	10 ܘܩ̇ܕܡ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܨܦܪܐ ܘܡܢܝܗܝ ܠܥܡܐ ܘܣܠܩ ܗܘ ܘܣ̈ܒܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܠܥܝ ܩܕܡ ܥܡܐ
11 All the warriors marching with him advanced on the front of the town and pitched camp north of Ai, withthe val ey between them and the town.	11 ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܓܒܪ̈ܐ ܩܪ̈ܒܬܢܐ ܕܥܡܗ ܣܠܩܘ ܘܩܪܒܘ ܠܩܘܒܠܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܫܪܘ ܡܢ ܓܪܒܝܝܗ̇ ܕܥܝ ܘܢܚܠܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܒܝܢܬܗܘܢ ܠܥܝ
12 Joshua took about five thousand men and concealed these between Bethel and Ai, to the west of thetown.	12 ܘܕܒܪ ܝܫܘܥ ܚܡܫܐ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܓܒܪ̈ܝܢ ܘܐܘܬܒ ܐܢܘܢ ܒܟܡܐܢܐ ܒܝܢܬ ܒܝܬ ܐܝܠ ܠܥܝ ܡܢ ܡܥܪܒܝܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ
13 The people pitched the main camp to the north of the town and set up its ambush to the west of thetown. Joshua went that night into the middle of the plain.	13 ܘܥܒܕܗ ܠܥܡܗ ܘܠܟܠܗ̇ ܡܫܪܝܬܗ ܡܢ ܓܪܒܝܝܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܢܛܪ̈ܝ ܥܩܒܐ ܡܢ ܡܥܪܒܝܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܐܙܠ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܒܓܘ ܥܡܐ
14 The king of Ai had seen this; the people of the town got up early and hurried out, so that he and al hispeople could engage Israel in battle on the slope facing the Arabah; but he did not know that an ambush hadbeen laid for him to the rear of the town.	14 ܘܟܕ ܚܙܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܕܥܝ ܐܣܬܪܗܒ ܘܩܡܘ ܢܦܩܘ ܐ̈ܢܫܝܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܠܐܘܪܥܗ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܗܘܘ ܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܕܥܝ ܒܦܩܥܬܐ ܘܥܡܐ ܠܐ ܝ̇ܕܥ ܗܘܐ ܕܟܡܐܢܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܢ ܒܣܬܪܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ
15 Joshua and al Israel pretended to be beaten by them and took to their heels along the road to thedesert.	15 ܘܐܬܒܕܪ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܟܠܗ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܡܢ ܩܕܡܝܗܘܢ ܠܡܥܪܩ ܒܐܘܪܚܐ ܕܡܕܒܪܐ
16 All the people in the town joined in the pursuit and, in pursuing Joshua, were drawn away from thetown.	16 ܘܩܥܐ ܟܠܗ ܥܡܐ ܕܥܝ ܠܡܪܕܦ ܒܬܪܗܘܢ ܘܪܕܦܘ ܒܬܪ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܣܬܪܩܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܡܢ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ
17 Not a man was left in Ai (nor in Bethel), who had not gone in pursuit of Israel; and in pursuing Israelthey left the town undefended.	17 ܘܠܐ ܐܫܬܚܪ ܐܢܫ ܒܥܝ ܘܒܒܝܬ ܐܝܠ ܕܠܐ ܢܦܩܘ ܒܬܪ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܫܒܩܘܗ̇ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܟܕ ܦܬܝܚܐ ܘܪܕܦܘ ܒܬܪ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ
18 Yahweh then said to Joshua, 'Point the sabre in your hand at Ai; for I am about to put the town at yourmercy.' Joshua pointed the sabre in his hand towards the town.	18 ܘܐܡܪ ܡܪܝܐ ܠܝܫܘܥ ܐܪܝܡ ܒܢܝܙܟܐ ܕܒܐܝܕܟ ܥܠ ܥܝ ܡܛܠ ܕܒܐ̈ܝܕܝܟ ܐܫ̇ܠܡܬܗ̇ ܘܐܪܝܡ ܝܫܘܥ ܒܢܝܙܟܐ ܕܐܚܝܕ ܗܘܐ ܒܐܝܕܗ ܥܠ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ
19 No sooner had he stretched out his hand than the men in ambush burst from their position, ranforward, entered the town, captured it and quickly set it on fire.	19 ܘܟܡܐܢܐ ܩܡ ܡܣܪܗܒܐܝܬ ܡܢ ܕܘܟܬܗ ܘܪܗܛܘ ܚܦܝܛܐܝܬ ܐܝܟ ܡܦܢܐ ܐܝܕܐ ܘܥܠܘ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܐܚܕܘܗ̇ ܘܐܣܬܪܗܒܘ ܘܐܘܩܕܘܗ̇ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܒܢܘܪܐ
20 When the men of Ai looked back, they saw smoke rising from the town into the sky. None of them hadthe courage to run in any direction, for the people fleeing towards the desert turned back on their pursuers.	20 ܘܐܬܦܢܝܘ ܐܢܫܐ ܕܥܝ ܠܒܣܬܪܗܘܢ ܘܚܙܘ ܕܣ̇ܠܩ ܬܢܢܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܗܘܢ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܫܡܝܐ ܘܠܐ ܐܘܦܝܘ ܠܡܥܪܩ ܠܟܐ ܘܠܟܐ ܘܥܡܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܕܥ̇ܪܩ ܗܘܐ ܒܡܕܒܪܐ ܐܬܗܦܟ ܥܠ ܪ̈ܕܘܦܘܗܝ
21 For, once Joshua and al Israel saw that the town had been seized by the men in ambush, and thatsmoke was rising from the town, they turned about and attacked the men of Ai.	21 ܘܝܫܘܥ ܘܟܠܗ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܚܙܘ ܕܟܒܫܗ̇ ܟܡܐܢܐ ܠܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܣܠܩ ܬܢܢܗ̇ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܗܦܟܘ ܘܚܪܒܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܐ̈ܢܫܝܗ̇ ܕܥܝ
22 The others came out from the town to engage them too, and the men of Ai were thus surrounded byIsraelites, some on this side and some on that. The Israelites struck them down until not one was left alive andnone to flee;	22 ܘܗܠܝܢ ܢܦܩܘ ܡܢ ܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܠܐܘܪܥܗܘܢ ܘܗܘܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܐ̈ܢܫܝܗ̇ ܕܥܝ ܒܡܨܥܬܗ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܡܟܐ ܘܗܠܝܢ ܡܟܐ ܘܚܪܒܘ ܐܢܘܢ ܘܣܪܝܕܐ ܠܐ ܫܒܩܘ ܠܗܘܢ
23 but the king of Ai was taken alive, and brought to Joshua.	23 ܘܠܡܠܟܐ ܕܥܝ ܐܚܕܘܗܝ ܟܕ ܚܝ ܘܩܪܒܘܗܝ ܠܘܬ ܝܫܘܥ
24 When Israel had finished kil ing al the inhabitants of Ai in the open ground, and in the desert wherethey had pursued them, and when every single one had fal en to the sword, al Israel returned to Ai andslaughtered its remaining population.	24 ܘܟܕ ܓܡܪ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܠܡܚܪܒ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܥܡܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܕܥܝ ܒܚܩ̈ܠܬܐ ܘܒܡܕܒܪܐ ܪܕܦ̇ܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܘܢܦܠܘ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܒܦܘܡܐ ܕܚܪܒܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܓܡܪܘ ܘܗܦܟܘ ܟܠܗ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܠܥܝ ܘܚܪܒܘܗ̇ ܒܦܘܡܐ ܕܚܪܒܐ
25 The number of those who fel that day, men and women together, was twelve thousand, al people ofAi.	25 ܘܟܠܗܘܢ ܕܢܦܠܘ ܒܝܘܡܐ ܗ̇ܘ ܡܢ ܓܒܪ̈ܐ ܘܥܕܡܐ ܠܢܫ̈ܐ ܬܪܥܣܪ ܐ̈ܠܦܝܢ ܟܘܠܗܘܢ ܐ̈ܢܫܐ ܕܥܝ
26 Joshua did not draw back the hand with which he had pointed the sabre until he had subjected al theinhabitants of Ai to the curse of destruction.	26 ܘܝܫܘܥ ܠܐ ܐܗܦܟ ܐܝܕܗ ܕܐܪܝܡ ܗܘܐ ܒܢܝܙܟܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܚܪܒ ܐܢܘܢ ܠܟܘܠܗܘܢ ܥܡܘܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܕܥܝ
27 For booty, Israel took only the cattle and the spoils of this town, in accordance with the order thatYahweh had given to Joshua.	27 ܒܠܚܘܕ ܒܥܝܪܐ ܘܒܙܬܐ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܗ̇ܝ ܒܙܘ ܠܗܘܢ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܐܝܟ ܡܠܬܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܕܦܩܕ ܠܝܫܘܥ
28 Joshua then burned Ai, making it a ruin for evermore, a desolate place even today.	28 ܘܐܘܩܕܗ̇ ܝܫܘܥ ܠܥܝ ܘܥܒܕܗ̇ ܬܠܠܐ ܚܪܒܐ ܠܥܠܡ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ
29 He hanged the king of Ai from a tree til evening; but at sunset Joshua ordered his body to be takendown from the tree. It was then thrown down at the entrance to the town gate and on top of it was raised a greatmound of stones, which is stil there today.	29 ܘܠܡܠܟܗ̇ ܕܥܝ ܙܩܦܗ ܥܠ ܩܝܣܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܙܒܢܐ ܕܪܡܫܐ ܘܟܕ ܥܪܒܬ ܫܡܫܐ ܦܩܕ ܝܫܘܥ ܘܐܚܬܘܗ̇ ܠܫܠܕܐ ܡܢ ܩܝܣܐ ܘܐܪܡܝܘܗ̇ ܒܡܥܠܢܐ ܕܬܪܥܐ ܕܡܕܝܢܬܐ ܘܐܩܝܡܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܝܓܪܐ ܕܟܐ̈ܦܐ ܪ̈ܘܪܒܬܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܝܘܡܢܐ
30 Joshua then built an altar to Yahweh, God of Israel, on Mount Ebal,	30 ܗܝܕܝܢ ܒܢܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܕܒܚܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܐܠܗܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܒܛܘܪܐ ܕܓܒܠ
31 as Moses, servant of Yahweh, had ordered the Israelites, as is written in the law of Moses: an altar ofundressed stones, on which no iron has been used. On this they presented burnt offerings to Yahweh andcommunion sacrifices as wel .	31 ܐܝܟ ܕܦܩܕ ܡܘܫܐ ܥܒܕܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܠܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܐܝܟ ܕܟܬܝܒ ܒܣܦܪܐ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܡܕܒܚܐ ܕܟܐ̈ܦܐ ܫ̈ܠܡܠܡܬܐ ܕܠܐ ܢܦܠ ܥܠܝܗܝܢ ܦܪܙܠܐ ܘܩܪܒܘ ܥܠܘܗܝ ܝܩ̈ܕܐ ܫ̈ܠܡܐ ܠܡܪܝܐ ܘܕܒܚܘ ܕܒܚܬܐ
32 There, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which Moses had written in thepresence of the Israelites.	32 ܘܟܬܒ ܬܡܢ ܥܠ ܟܐ̈ܦܐ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܡܕܒܚܐ ܦܪܫܓܢܐ ܕܢܡܘܣܗ ܕܡܘܫܐ ܕܟܬܒ ܩܕܡ ܒܢ̈ܝ ܐܝܣܪܐܝܠ
33 All Israel, with their elders, their officials and their judges, stood on either side of the ark, facing thelevitical priests who were carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, foreigners with the native-born, half ofthem on the upper slopes of Mount Gerizim, and half of them on the upper slopes of Mount Ebal, as Moses,servant of Yahweh, had originally ordered for the blessing of the people of Israel.	33 ܘܟܠܗ ܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܩܫܝܫ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܣܦܪ̈ܘܗܝ ܘܕܝܢ̈ܘܗܝ ܩ̇ܝܡܝܢ ܡܟܐ ܘܡܟܐ ܡܢ ܬܪ̈ܝܗܘܢ ܣܛܪ̈ܝܗ̇ ܕܩܒܘܬܐ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܟܗ̈ܢܐ ܘܠܘ̈ܝܐ ܕܫܩܝܠܝܢ ܩܒܘܬܐ ܕܕܝܬܩܐ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܦܠܓܗܘܢ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܛܘܪܐ ܕܓܪܙܝܡ ܘܦܠܓܗܘܢ ܠܘܩܒܠ ܛܘܪܐ ܕܓܒܠ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܦܩܕ ܡܘܫܐ ܥܒܕܗ ܕܡܪܝܐ ܠܡܒܪܟܘ ܠܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܐܝܟ ܕܡܢ ܩܕܝܡ
34 After this, Joshua read al the words of the Law -- the blessing and the cursing -- exactly as it standswritten in the Book of the Law.	34 ܘܡܢ ܒܬܪܟܢ ܩܪܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܦܬ̈ܓܡܘܗܝ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ ܒܘܪ̈ܟܬܐ ܘܠܘ̈ܛܬܐ ܟܘܠܗܝܢ ܕܟܬܝ̈ܒܢ ܒܣܦܪܐ ܕܢܡܘܣܐ
35 Of every word laid down by Moses, not one was left unread by Joshua in the presence of the wholeassembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners living with them.	35 ܠܐ ܫܒܩ ܚܕܐ ܡܠܬܐ ܡܢ ܟܠ ܕܦܩܕ ܡܘܫܐ ܕܠܐ ܩܪܐ ܝܫܘܥ ܩܕܡ ܟܠܗ̇ ܟܢܘܫܬܐ ܕܐܝܣܪܝܠ ܘܩܕܡ ܢܫ̈ܐ ܘܩܕܡ ܛ̈ܠܝܐ ܘܩܕܡ ܬܘ̈ܬܒܐ ܕܒܝܢܬܗܘܢ