Verse 1
Verse: And the LORD said unto Joshua Fear not neither be thou dismayed take all the people of war with thee and arise go up to Ai see I have given into thy hand the king of Ai and his people and his city and his land
English Explanation: After the failure at Ai due to Achan’s sin, God encourages Joshua. He commands Joshua to take the entire army, reassuring him of a guaranteed victory. This marks a shift from discouragement to divine empowerment.
Urdu Explanation: عکن کے گناہ کی وجہ سے عائی میں ہونے والی شکست کے بعد، خُداوند یشوع کی حوصلہ افزائی کرتا ہے۔ خُدا یشوع کو تمام جنگجوؤں کے ساتھ چڑھائی کرنے کا حکم دیتا ہے اور فتح کی ضمانت دیتا ہے کہ عائی کا بادشاہ اور اس کی زمین اب اسرائیل کے قبضے میں ہے۔
Verse 2
Verse: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king only the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves lay thee an ambush for the city behind it
English Explanation: God instructs Joshua to treat Ai like Jericho regarding its destruction, but with one difference: the Israelites are allowed to keep the loot and cattle for themselves. He also provides the military strategy: an ambush.
Urdu Explanation: خُداوند نے حکم دیا کہ عائی کے ساتھ بھی وہی سلوک کیا جائے جو یریحو کے ساتھ ہوا تھا، لیکن ایک فرق یہ تھا کہ اس بار بنی اسرائیل مالِ غنیمت اور چوپائے اپنے پاس رکھ سکتے تھے۔ خُدا نے شہر کے پیچھے گھات لگانے کی حکمتِ عملی بھی بتائی۔
Verse 3
Verse: So Joshua arose and all the people of war to go up against Ai and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour and sent them away by night
English Explanation: Joshua obeys immediately. He selects 30,000 elite warriors and dispatches them under the cover of darkness to set the stage for the surprise attack.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع نے فوراً فرمانبرداری کی اور تیس ہزار زبردست سورماؤں کو چنا۔ اس نے انہیں رات کے وقت روانہ کیا تاکہ وہ دشمن کی نظروں سے اوجھل رہ کر گھات لگا سکیں۔
Verse 4
Verse: And he commanded them saying Behold ye shall lie in wait against the city even behind the city go not very far from the city but be ye all ready
English Explanation: Joshua gives specific orders for the ambush. They are to hide behind the city, stay close for a quick strike, and remain in a state of high alert.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع نے انہیں حکم دیا کہ شہر کے پیچھے چھپ کر انتظار کریں اور شہر سے زیادہ دور نہ جائیں بلکہ ہر لمحہ کارروائی کے لیے تیار رہیں۔
Verse 5
Verse: And I and all the people that are with me will approach unto the city and it shall come to pass when they come out against us as at the first that we will flee before them
English Explanation: Joshua explains the bait-and-switch tactic. He and the main body of troops will approach the city, and when the defenders attack, Joshua’s group will pretend to retreat to lure them out.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع نے اپنی حکمتِ عملی بتائی کہ وہ اور اس کے ساتھی شہر کے سامنے جائیں گے، اور جب عائی کے لوگ پہلے کی طرح حملہ کریں گے، تو اسرائیلی فوج فرار ہونے کا ناٹک کرے گی تاکہ دشمن باہر نکل آئے۔
Verse 6
Verse: For they will come out after us till we have drawn them from the city for they will say They flee before us as at the first therefore we will flee before them
English Explanation: The goal is to make the men of Ai overconfident. Thinking they are winning again, they will abandon the protection of their city walls to chase the Israelites.
Urdu Explanation: مقصد یہ تھا کہ عائی کے لوگوں کو یہ لگے کہ وہ دوبارہ جیت رہے ہیں۔ وہ یہ سوچ کر شہر کی دیواروں سے دور نکل آئیں گے کہ اسرائیلی خوفزدہ ہو کر بھاگ رہے ہیں۔
Verse 7
Verse: Then ye shall rise up from the ambush and seize upon the city for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand
English Explanation: Once the city is undefended, the hidden 30,000 men are to rise up and capture it. Joshua emphasizes that the victory comes from God.
Urdu Explanation: جب شہر خالی ہو جائے گا، تو گھات میں بیٹھے سپاہی نکل کر شہر پر قبضہ کر لیں گے۔ یشوع نے یقین دلایا کہ خُدا یہ شہر ان کے حوالے کر دے گا۔
Verse 8
Verse: And it shall be when ye have taken the city that ye shall set the city on fire according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do See I have commanded you
English Explanation: The signal of success will be the smoke from the burning city. This was a direct command to demonstrate God’s judgment on the city.
Urdu Explanation: حکم دیا گیا کہ شہر پر قبضہ کرنے کے بعد اسے آگ لگا دی جائے۔ یہ آگ فتح کا نشان ہوگی اور خُدا کے حکم کی تعمیل ہوگی۔
Verse 9
Verse: Joshua therefore sent them forth and they went to lie in ambush and abode between Bethel and Ai on the west side of Ai but Joshua lodged that night among the people
English Explanation: The ambush party moves into position between Bethel and Ai. Joshua stays with the main camp to maintain morale and prepare for the next day.
Urdu Explanation: گھات لگانے والا دستہ بیت ایل اور عائی کے درمیان مغرب کی جانب اپنی پوزیشن پر پہنچ گیا۔ جبکہ یشوع نے وہ رات باقی لوگوں کے ساتھ گزاری۔
Verse 10
Verse: And Joshua rose up early in the morning and numbered the people and went up he and the elders of Israel before the people to Ai
English Explanation: Demonstrating leadership and discipline, Joshua starts the day early. He gathers the elders and leads the march toward the city.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع نے صبح سویرے اٹھ کر لوگوں کا شمار کیا اور اسرائیل کے بزرگوں کے ساتھ مل کر عائی کی طرف پیش قدمی کی۔
Verse 11
Verse: And all the people even the people of war that were with him went up and drew nigh and came before the city and pitched on the north side of Ai now there was a valley between them and Ai
English Explanation: The main army sets up camp on the north side. A valley separates them from the city, providing a clear visual field for the upcoming maneuver.
Urdu Explanation: تمام جنگجو دستے شہر کے قریب پہنچے اور عائی کے شمال میں خیمہ زن ہوئے۔ ان کے اور شہر کے درمیان ایک وادی حائل تھی۔
Verse 12
Verse: And he took about five thousand men and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai on the west side of the city
English Explanation: Joshua places a second, smaller ambush group (or reinforces the previous one) to ensure the western flank is secure and the trap is tight.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع نے تقریباً پانچ ہزار آدمیوں کو بیت ایل اور عائی کے درمیان مغرب کی طرف گھات لگانے کے لیے متعین کیا۔
Verse 13
Verse: And when they had set the people even all the host that was on the north of the city and their liers in wait on the west of the city Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley
English Explanation: With all units in position—the north group and the west ambush—Joshua moves into the valley at night to be at the center of the action.
Urdu Explanation: جب شمال اور مغرب کی تمام پوزیشنیں سنبھال لی گئیں، تو یشوع رات کے وقت وادی کے وسط میں چلا گیا تاکہ جنگی کارروائی کی قیادت کر سکے۔
Verse 14
Verse: And it came to pass when the king of Ai saw it that they hasted and rose up early and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle he and all his people at a time appointed before the plain but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city
English Explanation: The King of Ai falls for the trap. Seeing the Israelites in the valley, he rushes out to attack, unaware of the hidden troops behind his city.
Urdu Explanation: عائی کا بادشاہ دھوکا کھا گیا۔ جب اس نے اسرائیلیوں کو دیکھا، تو وہ اپنی پوری فوج کے ساتھ میدان میں نکل آیا، اسے یہ علم نہ تھا کہ شہر کے پیچھے گھات لگی ہوئی ہے۔
Verse 15
Verse: And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them and fled by the way of the wilderness
English Explanation: Joshua executes the feigned retreat. The Israelites act as if they are losing and flee toward the wilderness to draw the enemy further away.
Urdu Explanation: یشوع اور اسرائیلیوں نے شکست کا ناٹک کیا اور بیابان کی طرف بھاگنے لگے تاکہ عائی کی فوج کو شہر سے دور لے جائیں۔
Verse 16
Verse: And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them and they pursued after Joshua and were drawn away from the city
English Explanation: The lure works perfectly. Every able-bodied man in Ai is called out to chase Joshua, leaving the city defenseless.
Urdu Explanation: عائی کے تمام لوگ اسرائیلیوں کا پیچھا کرنے کے لیے نکل آئے اور اس طرح شہر مکمل طور پر غیر محفوظ ہو گیا۔
Verse 17
Verse: And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel that went not out after Israel and they left the city open and pursued after Israel
English Explanation: The pursuit was so aggressive that even the nearby men of Bethel joined in. The gates of Ai were left wide open.
Urdu Explanation: عائی اور بیت ایل میں ایک بھی مرد باقی نہ رہا جو اسرائیلیوں کے پیچھے نہ گیا ہو۔ انہوں نے شہر کے دروازے کھلے چھوڑ دیے۔
Verse 18
Verse: And the LORD said unto Joshua Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai for I will give it into thine hand And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city
English Explanation: God gives the signal. Joshua raises his spear—a symbolic act of divine authority and a tactical signal to the ambushers.
Urdu Explanation: خُداوند نے یشوع کو حکم دیا کہ اپنا نیزہ عائی کی طرف بڑھائے۔ یشوع نے ایسا ہی کیا، جو کہ فتح کا نشان اور گھات میں بیٹھے لوگوں کے لیے اشارہ تھا۔
Verse 19
Verse: And the ambush arose quickly out of their place and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and they entered into the city and took it and hasted and set the city on fire
English Explanation: Seeing the signal, the hidden troops storm the open city. They capture it swiftly and set it ablaze according to the plan.
Urdu Explanation: جیسے ہی یشوع نے ہاتھ بڑھایا، گھات میں بیٹھے سپاہی فوراً نکلے، شہر میں داخل ہوئے، اس پر قبضہ کیا اور اسے آگ لگا دی۔
Verse 20
Verse: And when the men of Ai looked behind them they saw and behold the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven and they had no power to flee this way or that way and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers
English Explanation: The men of Ai see the smoke and realize they are trapped. The retreating Israelites stop running and turn back to fight their pursuers.
Urdu Explanation: عائی کے لوگوں نے جب پیچھے مڑ کر دیکھا تو شہر سے دھواں اٹھ رہا تھا۔ وہ بدحواس ہو گئے، اور جو اسرائیلی بھاگ رہے تھے، وہ مڑ کر ان پر حملہ آور ہوئے۔
Verse 21
Verse: And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended then they turned again and slew the men of Ai
English Explanation: Confirming the city was captured, Joshua’s main force transitions from “retreating” to a full-scale offensive.
Urdu Explanation: جب یشوع اور اسرائیلیوں نے دیکھا کہ شہر پر قبضہ ہو چکا ہے، تو انہوں نے پلٹ کر عائی کے مردوں کو قتل کرنا شروع کر دیا۔
Verse 22
Verse: And the other issued out of the city against them so they were in the midst of Israel some on this side and some on that side and they smote them so that they let none of them remain or escape
English Explanation: The ambush group comes out of the burning city to attack from the rear. The men of Ai are surrounded on both sides and completely defeated.
Urdu Explanation: شہر پر قبضہ کرنے والے اسرائیلی بھی باہر نکل آئے۔ عائی کی فوج دونوں طرف سے گھر گئی اور ایک بھی دشمن بچ کر نہ نکل سکا۔
Verse 23
Verse: And the king of Ai they took alive and brought him to Joshua
English Explanation: While the army was destroyed, the King of Ai was captured alive to face formal judgment before Joshua.
Urdu Explanation: عائی کے بادشاہ کو زندہ پکڑ لیا گیا اور اسے یشوع کے سامنے لایا گیا۔
Verse 24
Verse: And it came to pass when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness wherein they chased them and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword until they were consumed that all the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote it with the edge of the sword
English Explanation: After defeating the army in the field, the Israelites return to the city to complete the conquest and fulfill the divine mandate.
Urdu Explanation: میدان میں جنگ ختم کرنے کے بعد، بنی اسرائیل عائی کی طرف لوٹے اور وہاں باقی رہ جانے والوں کا خاتمہ کیا۔
Verse 25
Verse: And so it was that all that fell that day both of men and women were twelve thousand even all the men of Ai
English Explanation: The chapter records the total casualties of the battle: 12,000 people. This signifies the total downfall of the city of Ai.
Urdu Explanation: اس دن ہلاک ہونے والے مردوں اور عورتوں کی کل تعداد بارہ ہزار تھی، جو عائی کی پوری آبادی پر مشتمل تھی۔