Ambush Ai

By Mary Vee

Joshua 7-8

Joshua's Thoughts

Achan's confession surprised everyone in the camp.

I'd sent messengers to his tent right after he told us the robe, gold wedge, and money pouch had been buried there. What I can't understand is why he took those things.

Before our battle with Jericho, the Lord gave clear instructions not to take anything except offerings for Him. God wanted to remind us to give the first of everything to Him.  I thought all the Israelites understood.

The messengers dug under Achan's tent and found everything where he said. They brought the robe, gold wedge, and money and set them on the ground before me and all the Israelites. I pointed to the stolen things and asked Achan, "Why did you bring us this trouble? You knew we couldn't keep anything from that battle."

He didn't answer.

We took Achan to a valley nearby and punished him as the Lord's instructioned including burning the robe, gold wedge, and pouch of money he stole.

That night the Lord spoke to me. "Joshua, take an army to battle against Ai.  I will be with you. This time, you and all the Israelites may keep any animals or other things you take." He then gave me a really great plan.

I left right away with a large army to Ai, as the Lord instructed. We camped on the north side of the city for the night.  The next morning I sent some of my best warriors south of the city. But before they left, I repeated God's battle plan. "Listen men. When you see Ai's army chase after us, leaving their city unprotected, run in and conquer it."

Everyone said they understood what to do.

I waited for those men to sneak around to the south side of Ai then led the rest of my men forward. Sure enough, once we reached the valley, Ai's guards saw us. The battle cry rang from the city's walls. "Here come the Israelites. Chase after them and leave no prisoners!"


God's plan worked perfectly!  The city gate opened and their army poured into the valley chasing after us.

We ran toward the woods crying and screaming as if we were scared they'd kill us all.  Ai's army followed, laughing with each step.  "You call yourselves warriors, yet you run.  We'll show you who has the better army."

Once we'd run a far distance, I turned and saw smoke rising from Ai. The army commander saw me signal my army to look back at the city.  He looked back, also.  Black smoke bubbled higher into the air.

Ai's army commander yelled, "It's a trap! Flee back to the city!"

Too late.

With the help of the Lord, my men and I chased Ai's army back to the valley and conquered them.  My best warriors, still inside the city, found the king of Ai and brought him to me.

I killed the king then sent my army back to the city to get their reward. They gathered animals, clothes, food, and anything else they wanted before setting fire to the rest of the buildings.

That night I built an altar to the Lord. We offered our thanks and sang praises to the Lord.  I wrote a copy of the law of Moses in front of all the Israelite people then read every word to them. The men, women, and children of Israel listened and worshipped God. 


I am thankful for God's plan today.


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1. Where did Achan hide the things he stole?
2. What did Joshua do with the stolen things?
3. Now that the thief had been found, what did God give Joshua permission to do?
4. What was the battle plan? Who gave the idea for the plan?
5. Who won the battle?
6. What did Joshua and the people do after the battle?
7. What did you learn from this story?