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 who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
The people gathered at the mountains Gerizim and Ebal, on either side of Shechem, to collectively declare their loyalty to the covenant. The six tribes who gathered at Mt Gerizim answered ‘Amen’ as the blessings of the law were read. The six tribes who gathered at Mt Ebal answered ‘Amen’ as the curses for disobedience were read (33-35; cf. Deuteronomy 27:11-14).