Joshua 7
The Defeat at Ai
1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction.a Achanb son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,c 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.
1And the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully—an unfaithfulness—against a devoted thing. For Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing. And the anger of YHWH burned against the sons of Israel.
2Meanwhile, 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.
2And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai—which is near Beth-aven on the east side of Bethel—and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai.
3On 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.”
3And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two thousand men or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not wear out all the people there, for they are few.”
5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarriesa and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
5And the men of Ai struck down from them about thirty and six men, and they chased them from the face of the gate as far as Shebarim, and they struck them down on the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became water.
6Then 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.
6And Joshua tore his clothes and fell on his face to the earth before the face of the ark of YHWH until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads.
7“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!
7And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord YHWH, why did You ever cause this people to pass over the Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorite, to destroy us? And if only we had been content and had stayed on the other side of the Jordan!
9When 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?”
9For the Canaanite and all those dwelling in the land will hear it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”
11Israel 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.
11Israel has sinned and also they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and also they have taken from the devoted thing, and both have stolen and deceived, and also they have put it among their vessels.
12This 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.
12And the sons of Israel are not able to stand before the faces of their enemies; the backs are turned before the faces of their enemies, because they have become devoted to destruction. Not anymore will I be with you, if you do not destroy the devoted thing from among you.
13Get 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.
13Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says YHWH, God of Israel: A devoted thing is among you, O Israel. You are not able to stand before the faces of your enemies until your turning aside of the devoted thing from among you.
14In 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.
14And you shall be brought near in the morning according to your tribes, and it shall come to pass that the tribe that YHWH takes shall come according to the clans, and the family that YHWH takes shall come by the houses, and the house that YHWH takes shall come by the man.
15The 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.’”
15And it shall be that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with the fire, he and all that is unto him, because he has transgressed the covenant of YHWH, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
The Sin of Achan
17He 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.
17And He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zerahites, and he brought the family of the Zerahites by the man, and Zabdi was taken.
19So 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.”
19And Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give, please, glory to YHWH, God of Israel, and make to Him confession and tell now me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”
21When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar,a two hundred shekels of silver,b and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,c I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
21And I saw among the spoils one beautiful cloak of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and one wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, and I coveted them and took them, and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver is under it.”
24Then 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.
24And Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, and the cloak, and the wedge of the gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that was unto him, and all Israel with him, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25“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.
25And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? YHWH will trouble you this day!” And all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with the fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26And 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 Achora to this day.
26And they raised up over him a great heap of stones, to this day. And YHWH turned from the burning of His anger. Upon thus has been called the name of that place the Valley of Achor, to this day.