Discovery BoxJoshua 8:23-26 
Context8:23 But they captured the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
8:24 When Israel had finished killing all the men 1 of Ai who had chased them toward the desert 2 (they all fell by the sword), 3 all Israel returned to Ai and put the sword to it. 8:25 Twelve thousand men and women died 4 that day, including all the men of Ai. 8:26 Joshua kept holding out his curved sword until Israel had annihilated all who lived in Ai. 5
1 tn Heb “residents.”
2 tn Heb “in the field, in the desert in which they chased them.”
3 tc Heb “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed.” The LXX omits the words, “and all of them fell by the edge of the sword.” They may represent a later scribal addition.
4 tn Heb “fell.”
5 tn Heb “Joshua did not draw back his hand which held out the curved sword until he had annihilated all the residents of Ai.”
