1. The Conquest of Ai – Joshua 8:1-29
The Israelites conquered the city of Jericho and were ready to take over the city of Ai. However, their first attempt failed because one of the Israelites named Achan had disobeyed God’s command not to take any of the plunder from Jericho. The Israelites repented and God gave them a plan to conquer Ai. They defeated the city by using a sneak attack, and all of its inhabitants were killed.
2. The Treaty with the Gibeonites – Joshua 9:1-27
The Gibeonites feared the Israelites and sent a group of men to trick them into making a treaty. The Israelites did not ask God for guidance and made a treaty with the Gibeonites, not realizing that they were actually from the nearby city of Ai. Despite their mistake, the Israelites kept their promise to protect the Gibeonites from their enemies.
3. The Sin of Achan – Joshua 7:1-26
After defeating Jericho, God had commanded the Israelites to destroy everything in the city, but Achan disobeyed and took some of the plunder for himself. As a result, the Israelites were defeated in their first attempt to conquer Ai. When Joshua inquired of God, He revealed the sin of Achan, who was subsequently stoned and killed.
4. The Altar on Mount Ebal – Joshua 8:30-35
After the conquest of Ai, Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal and sacrificed burnt offerings to God, as instructed in Deuteronomy 27:1-8. The Israelites then heard the blessings and curses that God promised, depending on whether they obeyed His commands or not. The ceremony served as a reminder for the Israelites to remain faithful to God as they continued their conquest of Canaan.
