So they went up to the town. As they were heading for the middle of the town, Samuel was coming in their direction ¹  to go up to the high place.

He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; ¹  Joab restored the rest of the city.

and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”’”

Even if the forest is destroyed ¹  and the city is annihilated, ² 

The workers of the city from all the tribes of Israel will cultivate it.

The filthy, ¹  stained city is as good as dead; the city filled with oppressors is finished! ² 

Have all the warriors march around the city one time; ¹  do this for six days.

He told ¹  them, “Look, set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from the city; all of you be ready!

When you capture the city, set it ¹  on fire. Do as the Lord says! See, I have given you orders.” ² 

When he held out his hand, the men waiting in ambush rose up quickly from their place and attacked. ¹  They entered the city, captured it, and immediately set it on fire.

When Joshua and all Israel saw that the men in ambush had captured the city and that the city was going up in smoke, ¹  they turned around and struck down the men of Ai.

the spies spotted ¹  a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.”

He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely.

They named it Dan after their ancestor, who was one of Israel’s sons. ¹  But the city’s name used to be Laish.

But when the signal, a pillar of smoke, began to rise up from the city, the Benjaminites turned around and saw the whole city going up in a cloud of smoke that rose high into the sky. ¹ 

So now assemble the rest of the army ¹  and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will capture the city and it will be named for me.”

The men of the city said to Elisha, “Look, the city has a good location, as our ¹  master can see. But the water is bad and the land doesn’t produce crops.” ² 

At the sound of the approaching horsemen and archers the people of every town will flee. Some of them will hide in the thickets. Others will climb up among the rocks. All the cities will be deserted. No one will remain in them.

The elders of that city must then seize the man and punish ¹  him.

He also tore down the tower of Penuel and executed the city’s men.