Joshua 7
1 But the sons of Israel had committed an act of unfaithfulness in respect of what was devoted, —for Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah had taken of what was devoted, and the anger of Yahweh had kindled against the sons of Israel.
The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai which was beside Beth-aven on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them saying, Go up and spy out the land. So the men went up, and spied out Ai.
Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned unto Joshua and said unto him—Let not all the people go up, about two thousand men or three thousand men, can go up and smite Ai, —do not weary the whole people to go thither, for, but few, they are.
On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”
4 There went up thither of the people therefore, about three thousand men, —but they fled before the men of Ai.
So about three thousand men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty-six men, and pursued them before the gate as far as the Shebarim, and smote them on the slope, —so that the heart of the people melted and became as water.
And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Then Joshua rent his clothes and fell upon his face to the earth before the ark of Yahweh until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, —and they lifted up dust upon their heads.
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
7 And Joshua said—Alas! My Lord Yahweh! Wherefore hast thou, brought, this people over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite to destroy us? Would then we had been content to dwell on the other side of the Jordan!
“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
8 Oh My Lord, —what shall I say, after Israel have turned their backs before their enemies?
O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?
9 Only let the Canaanite and all the inhabitants of the land hear, and they will surround us, and cut off our name out of the earth, —what then wilt thou do for thy great name?
When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
10 And Yahweh said unto Joshua—Get thee up! wherefore is it that thou art lying upon thy face?
But the LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face?
11 Israel hath sinned, yea moreover they have transgressed my covenant which I commanded them, —yea moreover they have taken of what was devoted, yea moreover they have stolen, yea moreover they have dissembled, yea moreover they have put it among their own goods.
Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these things with their own possessions.
12 Therefore cannot the sons of Israel stand before their enemies, their back, do they turn before their enemies, because they have become devoted, —I will no more be with you, except ye destroy the devoted thing out of your midst.
This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.
13 Up! hallow the people, and thou shalt say, Hallow yourselves by to-morrow, —for, Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel: A devoted thing, is in the midst of thee O Israel, Thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye have put away the devoted thing out of your midst.
Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
14 Therefore shall ye be brought near in the morning by your tribes, —and it shall be that—the tribe which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, by families, and the family which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, by households, and the household which Yahweh shall seize, shall come near, man by man;
In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.
15 and it shall be, that—He that is seized with the devoted thing, shall be burned with fire, he and all that he hath, —because he hath transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he hath wrought impiety in Israel.
The one who is caught with the things devoted to destruction must be burned, along with all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed an outrage in Israel.’”
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, —and, the tribe of Judah, was seized;
So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17 and he brought near the family of Judah, and, the family of the Zarhites, was seized, —and he brought near the family of the Zarhites, man by man, and, Zabdi, was seized;
He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected.
18 and he brought near his household, man by man, —and, Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was seized.
And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 And Joshua said unto Achan—My son give I pray thee glory unto Yahweh God of Israel and make to him confession, —and tell me I pray thee what thou hast done, do not hide it from me.
So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, —Of a truth, I, have sinned against Yahweh God of Israel, and, thus and thus, have I done:
“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:
21 When I saw among the spoil a certain goodly mantle of Babylonia and two hundred shekels of silver and a certain wedge of gold—fifty shekels the weight thereof, then I coveted them, then I took them, —and, there they are, hid in the earth, in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent, —and, there it was, hid in his tent, and, the silver, under it.
So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it all was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.
23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them in unto Joshua, and unto all the sons of Israel, —and poured them out before Yahweh.
They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the LORD.
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan—son of Zerah, and the silver and the mantle and the wedge of gold, and his sons and his daughters, and his oxen and his asses and his sheep and his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up the valley of Achor.
Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said—Why hast thou troubled us? Yahweh, will trouble thee, this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them up with fire, and covered them with stones;
“Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies.
26 yea they raised over him a great heap of stones [which remaineth] until this day. And Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger, —for which cause, hath the name of that place been called—The Valley of Achor, until this day.
And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
