3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite A´i; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men; and they fled before the men of A´i.
5 And the men of A´i smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Sheba´rim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord [God], wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?