Joshua 7
1 However, the Israelites had not been faithful regarding those things set apart for the Lord. Achan had taken some of them which made the Lord very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
But the people of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things that were set apart for destruction. Achan son of Karmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some things that were set apart for destruction, and Yahweh's anger burned against the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from the camp near Jericho to the town of Ai, which is near Bethaven, east of Bethel. “Go and explore the land,” he told them. So they went and explored around Ai.
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 When they returned they told Joshua, “The whole army isn't needed. Two or three thousand men is enough to go and attack Ai. Don't bother sending everyone—there's only a few of them.”
When they returned to Joshua, they said to him, “Do not send all the people up to Ai. Send only two or three thousand men to go up and attack Ai. Do not make all the people labor in battle, for they are few in number.”
4 So around three thousand men went to fight, but they were beaten by the men of Ai and they ran away.
So only about three thousand men went up from the army, but these ran away from the men of Ai.
5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing the Israelites from the town gate until they were defeated, killing them on their way down. At this the Israelites became afraid, losing all their courage.
The men of Ai killed about thirty-six men as they pursued them from the city gate as far as to the stone quarries, and they killed them as they were going down a hill. The hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Joshua ripped his clothes and fell down with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord until the evening. The elders did likewise, and he and the elders threw dust on their heads.
Then Joshua tore his garments. He and the elders of Israel put dust on their heads and lay facedown on the ground in front of the ark of Yahweh, remaining there until evening.
7 Joshua cried, “Why, oh why, Lord God, did you bring us across the Jordan River only to hand us over to the Amorites for them to destroy us? We should have been satisfied to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
Then Joshua said, “Ah, Yahweh Lord, why have you brought this people across the Jordan at all? To give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we made a different decision and we had stayed on the other side of the Jordan!
8 Excuse me, Lord, but what can I say now that Israel has turned tail and run away from its enemies?
Lord, what can I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
9 The Canaanites and everyone living in the land will come and surround us and wipe us out so completely that even our name will be forgotten. Then what will happen to your great reputation?”
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it. They will surround us and make the people of the earth forget our name. What will you do for your great name?”
10 But the Lord replied to Joshua, “Stand up! What do you think you're doing lying on your face like that?
Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there on your face?
11 Israel has sinned and has broken my agreement that I ordered them to keep. They have taken some of the things set apart for me; they have acted dishonestly; they have hidden the stolen items with their own belongings.
Israel has sinned. They have broken my covenant which I commanded them. They have stolen some of the things that were set apart. They have stolen and then also hidden their sin by putting what they have taken among their own belongings.
12 That's why the Israelites can't stand up to their enemies. That's why they turn and run from their enemies, and have themselves become set apart for destruction. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you have removed from among you those things set apart for destruction.
As a result, the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turned their backs from their enemies because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will not be with you any more unless you destroy the things that should have been destroyed, but are still among you.
13 Get up, and make sure the people are pure. Tell them, ‘Make yourselves pure in readiness for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, There are things set apart for me that are hidden among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove all of them.
Get up! Consecrate the people to me and say to them, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow. For Yahweh, the God of Israel says, “There are things set apart to be destroyed that are still among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove from among you all the things that were set apart to be destroyed.”
14 In the morning, you will come forward, tribe by tribe. Whichever tribe the Lord chooses will come forward clan by clan. The clan that the Lord chooses will come forward family by family. The family that the Lord chooses will come forward man by man.
In the morning, you must present yourselves by your tribes. The tribe that Yahweh selects will come near by their clans. The clan that Yahweh selects must come near by each household. The household that Yahweh selects must come near one by one.
15 The one who is caught with what was set apart for destruction will be burned by fire, along with all that is his, for he broke the Lord's agreement and committed a terrible act in Israel.’”
It will happen that the one who is selected and who has those things that were set apart for destruction, he will be burned, he and all he has, because he has broken the covenant of Yahweh and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.'”
16 Joshua got up early the next morning and called Israel forward, tribe by tribe.
So, Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel near, tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17 The tribe of Judah was chosen. The clans of Judah came forward and the Zerahites were chosen. The clan of Zerahites came forward, and the family of Zabdi was chosen.
Joshua brought the clans of Judah near, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He brought near the clan of the Zerahites person by person, and Zabdi was selected.
18 The family of Zabdi came forward, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
He brought Zabdi's household near, person by person, and Achan son of Karmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord, the God of Israel, and confess. Tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me.”
Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, tell the truth before Yahweh, the God of Israel, and give your confession to him. Please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”
20 “It's true!” Achan replied. “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did.
Achan answered Joshua, “Truly, I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel. This is what I did:
21 Among the plunder I saw a beautiful cloak from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I really wanted them, so I took them. They're hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver buried deeper.”
When I saw among the plunder a beautiful coat from Babylon, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I desired them and took them. They are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, and the silver is under it.”
22 Joshua sent men who ran over to search the tent. They found what had been hidden, with the silver buried deeper.
Joshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent and there were the things. When they looked, they found them hidden in his own tent, and the silver under them.
23 The men took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. There they spread them out before the Lord.
They took the items from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. They poured them out before Yahweh.
24 Then Joshua, with all the Israelites, took Achan, the son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, together with his sons and daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, and his tent—everything he had—and brought them to the Valley of Achor.
Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, the coat, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why did you bring so much trouble down on us? Today the Lord will bring trouble down on you.” All the Israelites stoned Achan. Then when they had stoned the rest they burned their bodies.
Then Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones. Then they stoned the rest with stones and burned them with fire.
26 They set up a great pile of stones over him which remains to this day. The Lord was no longer angry. This is why the place was called the Valley of Achor ever since.
They set up over him a great heap of stones that is here until this day. Yahweh turned away his burning anger. Therefore the name of the place is the Valley of Achor until this present day.
