Joshua 7
International Standard Version
Israel is Defeated at Ai
7 Later, the Israelis broke their promise regarding the things that had been turned over to destruction. Carmi’s son Achan, grandson of Zabdi and great-grandson of Zerah from the tribe of Judah, appropriated some of the things that had been turned over to destruction. As a result, the Lord became angry with the Israelis.
2 Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and 3 returned to Joshua.
“Not all of the people need to go up,” they reported. “Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don’t make all of the army work hard up there.”
4 So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.[a] 6 At this, Joshua tore his clothes, fell down to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening—he and the leaders of Israel—and they covered their heads with dust. 7 “Lord God,” Joshua asked, “Why have you brought this people across the Jordan River? To hand us over to the Amorites so we’ll be destroyed? Wouldn’t it have been better for us to be content to settle on the other side of the Jordan? 8 Lord, what am I to say, now that Israel has run[b] away from its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of this, will surround us, and eliminate us[c] from the earth! Then what will you do about your great reputation?”[d]
The Lord Rebukes Joshua
10 “Get up!” the Lord replied to Joshua. “Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned. They broke my covenant that I commanded them by taking some of the things that had been turned over to destruction. They have stolen, have been deceitful, and have stored what they stole[e] among their own belongings. 12 The Israelis have been unable to stand before their enemies. They’re turning their backs and running from[f] their enemies because they themselves have been turned over to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy these things that have been turned over to destruction. 13 So get up and sanctify the people. Tell them, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord God of Israel, says: “There are things turned over to destruction among you, Israel. You won’t be able to defeat your enemies until you remove what has been turned over to destruction. 14 Tomorrow morning you are to come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe that the Lord selects[g] is to come forward by tribes, the tribe that the Lord selects is to come forward by households, and the household that the Lord selects is to come forward one by one. 15 The one selected as having taken what has been turned over to destruction is to be incinerated, along with everything that pertains to him, because he has transgressed against the covenant of the Lord and committed an outrageous thing in Israel.”’”
Achan’s Sin Revealed
16 So Joshua got up early that morning, brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He brought near the tribes of Judah, and the Zerahite tribe was selected. Then he brought near the Zerahite tribe family by family, and the household of Zabdi was selected. 18 Next, he brought near his household one by one, and Carmi’s son Achan, grandson of Zabdi and great-grandson of Zerah, was selected from the tribe of Judah.
19 Joshua then spoke to Achan, “My son, give glory and praise[h] to the Lord God of Israel.[i] Tell me right now what you did. Don’t hide anything.”
20 Achan answered Joshua, “It’s true. I’m the one who sinned against the Lord God of Israel. 21 I noticed among the war spoils a beautiful mantle from Shinar,[j] 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels. Because I wanted them, I took them, and they’re buried in the ground inside my tent. The silver is underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent some messengers, who ran to the tent. And there it was, hidden in the tent with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent that had been turned over to destruction,[k] brought them to Joshua and all of the Israelis, and laid them out in the presence of the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, with all Israel accompanying him, took Zerah’s son Achan, along with the silver, the mantle, the gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything that belonged to him to the Valley of Achor.
25 Joshua announced, “Why did you bring trouble to us? Today the Lord is bringing trouble to you!” So all Israel stoned him to death, incinerated them, and buried them with stones, 26 piling up a large mound of boulders that remains to this day. After this, the Lord turned his burning anger away, and that is why that place is called “the Valley of Achor”[l] to this day.
Footnotes
- Joshua 7:5 Lit. the hearts of the people melted and turned to water
- Joshua 7:8 Lit. turned
- Joshua 7:9 Lit. eliminate our name
- Joshua 7:9 Lit. name
- Joshua 7:11 The Heb. lacks what they stole
- Joshua 7:12 The Heb. lacks and running from
- Joshua 7:14 Lit. selects by lottery; and so through v 18
- Joshua 7:19 Lit. thanks
- Joshua 7:19 I.e. by telling the truth
- Joshua 7:21 I.e. Babylon
- Joshua 7:23 Lit. took them
- Joshua 7:26 The Heb. name Achor means Trouble
Joshua 7
Revised Geneva Translation
7 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took from the accursed thing. Therefore, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is beside Beth Aven), on the East side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and view the country.” And the men went up and viewed Ai,
3 and returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai; and do not make all the people labor there, for they are few.”
4 So, about three thousand men of the people went up there. And they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai struck thirty six of their men; for they chased them from before the gate to Shebarim and struck them as they went down. Therefore the hearts of the people melted away like water.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the LORD until sunset—he and the elders of Israel—and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O LORD God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan? To deliver us into the hand of the Amorites and to destroy us? If only we had been content to dwell on the other side of the Jordan!
8 “Oh LORD, what shall I say when Israel turns their backs before their enemies?
9 “For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it and shall surround us and destroy our name out of the Earth. And what will You do for Your mighty Name?”
10 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up. Why do you lie upon your face like that?”
11 “Israel has sinned. For they have transgressed My Covenant which I Commanded them. And they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen and deceived and have even put it with their own stuff.
12 “Therefore, the children of Israel cannot stand before their enemies—have turned their backs before their enemies—because they are doomed. Nor will I be with you anymore unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
13 “Up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you have destroyed the accursed thing from among you.
14 “In the morning, therefore, you shall come, according to your tribes. And the tribe which the LORD takes shall come, according to the families. And the family which the LORD shall take, shall come by the households. And the household which the LORD shall take, shall come man by man.
15 “And he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the Covenant of the LORD; and because he has wrought folly in Israel.”’”
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes. And the tribe of Judah was taken.
17 And he brought the families of Judah, and took the family of the Zarhites. And he brought the family of the Zarhites, man by man. And Zabdi was taken.
18 And he brought his household, man by man. And Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and show me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel. And thus and so have I done.
21 “I saw, among the plunder, a beautiful Babylonian garment and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels in weight. And I covered them, and took them. And behold, they lie hidden in the earth, in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.”
22 Then Joshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent. And behold, it was hidden in his tent, and the silver under it.
23 Therefore, they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel, and laid them before the LORD.
24 Then Joshua took Achan, the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had. And he and all Israel with him brought them to the valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD shall trouble you this day.” And all Israel threw stones at him, and burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.
26 And they erected a great heap of stones upon him, which stands to this day. And the LORD turned from His fierce wrath. Therefore, He called the name of that place, The Valley of Achor, which stands to this day.
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