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Ask a QuestionIt wasn't long before My-Master-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and destroyed it and its king under a holy curse, just as he had done to Jericho and its king. He also learned that the people of Gibeon had come to terms with Israel and were living as neighbors. He and his people were alarmed: Gibeon was a big city - as big as any with a king and bigger than Ai - and all its men were seasoned fighters.
He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent between Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. He built an altar there and prayed to God.
He moved on from the Negev, camping along the way, to Bethel, the place he had first set up his tent between Bethel and Ai and built his first altar. Abram prayed there to God.
Then the People of Israel violated the holy curse. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah, took some of the cursed things. God became angry with the People of Israel.
The people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai and cooked up a ruse. They posed as travelers: their donkeys loaded with patched sacks and mended wineskins, threadbare sandals on their feet, tattered clothes on their bodies, nothing but dry crusts and crumbs for food. They came to Joshua at Gilgal and spoke to the men of Israel, "We've come from a far-off country; make a covenant with us."
Joshua and all his soldiers got ready to march on Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, tough, seasoned fighters, and sent them off at night with these orders: "Look sharp now. Lie in ambush behind the city. Get as close as you can. Stay alert. I and the troops with me will approach the city head-on. When they come out to meet us just as before, we'll turn and run. They'll come after us, leaving the city. As we are off and running, they'll say, 'They're running away just like the first time.' That's your signal to spring from your ambush and take the city. God, your God, will hand it to you on a platter. Once you have the city, burn it down. God says it, you do it. Go to it. I've given you your orders."
Joshua said, "Oh, oh, oh...Master, God. Why did you insist on bringing this people across the Jordan? To make us victims of the Amorites? To wipe us out? Why didn't we just settle down on the east side of the Jordan? Oh, Master, what can I say after this, after Israel has been run off by its enemies? When the Canaanites and all the others living here get wind of this, they'll gang up on us and make short work of us - and then how will you keep up your reputation?"
God's Message on the Ammonites: "Doesn't Israel have any children, no one to step into her inheritance? So why is the god Milcom taking over Gad's land, his followers moving into its towns? But not for long! The time's coming" - God's Decree - "When I'll fill the ears of Rabbah, Ammon's big city, with battle cries. She'll end up a pile of rubble, all her towns burned to the ground. Then Israel will kick out the invaders. I, God, say so, and it will be so. Wail Heshbon, Ai is in ruins. Villages of Rabbah, wring your hands! Dress in mourning, weep buckets of tears. Go into hysterics, run around in circles! Your god Milcom will be hauled off to exile, and all his priests and managers right with him. Why do you brag of your once-famous strength? You're a broken-down has-been, a castoff Who fondles his trophies and dreams of glory days and vainly thinks, 'No one can lay a hand on me.' Well, think again. I'll face you with terror from all sides." Word of the Master, God-of-the-Angel-Armies. "You'll be stampeded headlong, with no one to round up the runaways. Still, the time will come when I will make things right with Ammon." God's Decree.
These are the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the Exile, the ones Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive; they came back to Jerusalem and Judah, each going to his own town. They came back in the company of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The numbers of the men of the People of Israel by families of origin: Parosh, 2,172 Shephatiah, 372 Arah, 652 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818 Elam, 1,254 Zattu, 845 Zaccai, 760 Binnui, 648 Bebai, 628 Azgad, 2,322 Adonikam, 667 Bigvai, 2,067 Adin, 655 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98 Hashum, 328 Bezai, 324 Hariph, 112 Gibeon, 95. Israelites identified by place of origin: Bethlehem and Netophah, 188 Anathoth, 128 Beth Azmaveth, 42 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743 Ramah and Geba, 621 Micmash, 122 Bethel and Ai, 123 Nebo (the other one), 52 Elam (the other one), 1,254 Harim, 320 Jericho, 345 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721 Senaah, 3,930. Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973 Immer, 1,052 Pashhur, 1,247 Harim, 1,017. Levitical families: Jeshua (sons of Kadmiel and of Hodaviah), 74. Singers: Asaph's family line, 148. Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 138. Families of support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Sia, Padon, Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Meunim, Nephussim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha. Families of Solomon's servants: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Amon. The Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392.
These are the people from the province who now returned from the captivity, exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his hometown. They came in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The numbers of the returning Israelites by families of origin were as follows: Parosh, 2,172 Shephatiah, 372 Arah, 775 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812 Elam, 1,254 Zattu, 945 Zaccai, 760 Bani, 642 Bebai, 623 Azgad, 1,222 Adonikam, 666 Bigvai, 2,056 Adin, 454 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98 Bezai, 323 Jorah, 112 Hashum, 223 Gibbar, 95. Israelites identified by place of origin were as follows: Bethlehem, 123 Netophah, 56 Anathoth, 128 Azmaveth, 42 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743 Ramah and Geba, 621 Micmash, 122 Bethel and Ai, 223 Nebo, 52 Magbish, 156 Elam (the other one), 1,254 Harim, 320 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725 Jericho, 345 Senaah, 3,630. Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973 Immer, 1,052 Pashhur, 1,247 Harim, 1,017. Levitical families: Jeshua and Kadmiel (sons of Hodaviah), 74. Singers: Asaph's family line, 128. Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 139. Families of temple support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Siaha, Padon, Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha. Families of Solomon's servants: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Ami. Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392.
And these are the kings of the land that Joshua and the People of Israel defeated in the country west of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon south to Mount Halak, which towers over Seir. Joshua gave this land to the tribes of Israel as a possession, according to their divisions: lands in the mountains, the western foothills, and the Arabah Valley, on the slopes, and in the wilderness and the Negev desert (lands on which Hittites, Amorites and Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites had lived). The kings were: The king of Jericho one The king of Ai (near Bethel) one The king of Jerusalem one The king of Hebron one The king of Jarmuth one The king of Lachish one The king of Eglon one The king of Gezer one The king of Debir one The king of Geder one The king of Hormah one The king of Arad one The king of Libnah one The king of Adullam one The king of Makkedah one The king of Bethel one The king of Tappuah one The king of Hepher one The king of Aphek one The king of Lasharon one The king of Madon one The king of Hazor one The king of Shimron Meron one The king of Acshaph one The king of Taanach one The king of Megiddo one The king of Kedesh one The king of Jokneam in Carmel one The king of Dor (Naphoth Dor) one The king of Goyim in Gilgal one The king of Tirzah one A total of thirty-one kings.