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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
4 There went up thither of the people therefore, about three thousand men, —but they fled before the men of Ai.
So around three thousand men went to fight, but they were beaten by the men of Ai and they ran away.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
8 Oh My Lord, —what shall I say, after Israel have turned their backs before their enemies?
Excuse me, Lord, but what can I say now that Israel has turned tail and run away 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?
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?”
10 And Yahweh said unto Joshua—Get thee up! wherefore is it that thou art lying upon thy face?
But the Lord replied to Joshua, “Stand up! What do you think you're doing lying on your face like that?
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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.’”
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes, —and, the tribe of Judah, was seized;
Joshua got up early the next morning and called Israel forward, tribe by tribe.
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;
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.
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.
The family of Zabdi came forward, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
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.
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.”
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's 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.
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.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent, —and, there it was, hid in his tent, and, the silver, under it.
Joshua sent men who ran over to search the tent. They found what had been hidden, with the silver buried deeper.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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;
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.
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.
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.
