Joshua and the Battle of Ai
F. 10r from the Morgan bible depicts the Israelite's initial attack upon the city of Ai. In the upper register, the soldiers are driven away from the city gates by the Amorites, one of whom holds a crossbow atop the tower on the right. The center of the image shows an unfortunate soldier who has become victim to a crossbow bolt. In the lower register, Joshua discovers the source of his army's defeat: the sin of Achan who wrongly kept spoils from the sack of Jericho. The sobbing Joshua is seen directing the stoning of Achan and his family, to ensure the future Israelite victory at Ai.
The upper register of f. 10v illustrates the Israelite's second attack upon Ai. This time, they are overwhelmingly victorious. The soldiers ride forward as their horses trample the dead enemies beneath their hooves and their swords cleave through the Amorite armor. In the center, Joshua swings his two-handed sword so fiercely, he chops an enemy's body in half, gruesomely spilling his entrails. The bottom register depicts the Gibeonites kneeling to appeal to Joshua after witnessing the fate of the Amorites.
F. 45v of the Psalter also illustrates the Israelite's first attack on Ai. In a much calmer scene, the two groups meet in the center while some Israelites turn away to flee the battle. The miniature lacks any depiction of bodily harm and the number of present figures (16) far outweighs the number of weapons (3).
F. 46r shows the Israelite victory over the Amorites. On the left, Joshua looks up to the sky, stopping the sun in a demonstration of God's power and favor towards the Israelites. Directly in front of him, the soldiers pass through the gate to capture the city of Ai. F. 46r does not reference battle at all, instead focusing on Joshua's miraculous act that demonstrates his spiritual connection with God. The folios from the Morgan bible do not include an image of Joshua stopping the sun. Instead, they focus on the military prowess of the Israelite army.