提要
以色列既已在亞干的罪上被滌淨，他們就可以繼續向前推進。上帝再次確認祂與以色列人同在，賜給約書亞新的信心，也向約書亞保證，他必能得勝。約書亞還未真正經歷的勝利，對上帝來說卻是一個已經完成的事實。這次他們將不再嘗敗績，因為上帝與他們同在，也是他們的戰略策畫人。
上帝的計畫很高明，當然，也很成功，約書亞派遣三萬名「大能的勇士」在夜間前往艾城（大約廿四公里之遙，九百七十五公尺之高）城西埋伏。次日清晨，約書亞率領主力軍隊直上艾城城北，另外又將一支五千人的伏兵置於伯特利城（艾城的盟城）和艾城之間，以防伯特利的軍隊攻擊埋伏在艾城西邊的以色列士兵。艾城的軍兵匆忙出來與以色列人交戰，想再次擊敗他們，以色列人也假裝在他們前面逃跑。這時，約書亞發出訊號，城西的以色列伏兵開始行動，由於艾城的士兵傾城而出追趕以色列民，留下一座毫無招架餘地的艾城（希伯來文「Ha'ay」的意思是「堆」）輕而易舉的落入以色列人手中，變成一堆荒場和瓦礫。他們就像耶利哥的居民一樣，被上帝交在以色列人手中。
耶利哥全城之物都是禁物，可視為該地初熟的果子，要全部奉獻給上帝。不過，他們所征服的第二座城、艾城，只有其中罪惡的居民不得存留，上帝准許他們拿取其中的牲畜、財物等為戰利品。如果亞干順服上帝、耐心等候，並滿足於他已經擁有的財物，上帝一定也會以艾城的戰利品祝福他。
以色列接下來不是要繼續去征服更多的城池，而是有個更重要的命令要完成：摩西吩咐他們要在迦南地的中心地帶宣告並確認與上帝所立的約，以上帝的律法作為他們在迦南地的律法。當以色列全國都宣誓效忠上帝和祂的律法，那是一個多美的奉獻時刻啊！
在以巴路山上，約書亞用未曾鑿過的石頭建了一座壇獻祭給上帝，所有的以色列人都為這場勝利感謝上帝。然後約書亞就將摩西的律法寫在石上，好讓聚集在以巴路山和基利心山谷間的這一大群以色列民能讀和學習律法。這兩座山形成了音響絕佳的露天舞台，使所有以色列民都能聽見祭司站在約櫃旁邊，宣讀的祝福和咒詛。
摩西所指示的每一件事，以色列人民都照著做了（申11：26~30；27：1~8，11~13），上帝也一定很滿意。摩西一心所望的（約書亞也一樣）就是要以色列人知道上帝之約的條件，因為他們要在應許之地得平安、享美福的唯一途徑，就是順服上帝。
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Overview
Now that Israel was purged from the sin that Achan had brought upon them, they were ready to press on. The Lord reconfirmed Hi presence among Israel and brought fresh confidence to Joshua. He reassured him of victory over Ai. What was yet to come for Joshua was already an accomplished fact for God. Joshua merely had to obey, step out in faith, and claim the victory. This time they would not be defeated, for God was with them and He was the One who planned the strategy.
The plan was brilliant and, of course, successful. The “mighty men of valor” (v.3) made the journey to Ai by night (a distance of twenty-four kilometers with a climb of 975 meters), and waited in ambush at the west side of the city. The next morning Joshua and the main army of Israel marched in full visibility to the north side of Ai. A second ambush of 5,000 men was positioned in the west between the city of Bethel (Ai’s allies) and Ai (v.12) to prevent the army of Bethel from attacking their first ambush waiting outside Ai. Their adversaries rushed out to fight, probably expecting to defeat Israel once again, and Israel pretended to flee before them. With Joshua’s signal, the ambush on the city made its move, and with all the men of Ai in pursuit of Israel, the city had no defense. Between Joshua’s two forces, Ai (Hebrew Ha’ay, “the heap”) was easily defeated and their city laid waste and in a “heap” of ashes and rubble. They, like the inhabitants of Jericho, had been delivered into the hand of Israel by the hand of God.
All that was found within the walls of Jericho had been under the ban (devoted to the Lord). It could be referred to as the first fruits of the land, which was to be given over totally to God. However, in Ai, the second city conquered, only the wicked inhabitants were under the ban, and the Lord permitted the cattle and spoil to be taken by the army. If only Achan had obeyed God, waited, and been content with what he already had, God would have blessed him with the spoil from Ai.
Instead of pressing on to conquer more cities, Israel had an important command from Moses that they were now to fulfill: a divinely ordered pilgrimage to the central area of Canaan to proclaim and ratify the covenant with God and make His Law the law of the land. It must have been a beautiful moment of spiritual devotion when the whole nation of Israel proclaimed their loyalty to God and His Law.
Upon Mount Ebal, Joshua built an altar of unhewn stones to make sacrifices to the Lord, and all Israel thanked God for the victories He had given them. Joshua then wrote the Law of Moses upon the stones so they could be read and learned by all the people who were congregated in the valley between Mount Egal and Mount Gerizim. These mountains form a natural amphitheatre, which made it possible for all Israel to hear the courses and the blessings being proclaimed from the center of the valley by the priests standing with the Ark of the Covenant.
Everything was done just as Moses had prescribed (Deut.11:26-30; 27:1-8, 11-13) and the Lord must have been pleased. Moses, and now Joshua, wanted to be sure the people knew the conditions of the covenant, because the only way they would remain safe and successful in the Promised Land was by obeying God.
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