Defeat at Ai
1 But the children of Israel committed atrespass regarding theaccursed things, forAchan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of theLordburned against the children of Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, whichisbeside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the country.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, forthepeopleofAiarefew.”
4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people,but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased themfrombefore the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; thereforethe hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Then Joshuatore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of theLorduntil evening, he and the elders of Israel; and theyput dust on their heads.
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, LordGod,why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies?
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hearit,and surround us, andcut off our name from the earth. Thenwhat will You do for Your great name?”
The Sin of Achan
10 So theLordsaid to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them.For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen anddeceived; and they have also putitamong their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,butturnedtheirbacks before their enemies, becausethey have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Get up,sanctify the people, and say,‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says theLordGod of Israel: “Thereisan accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”
14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall bethatthe tribe whichtheLordtakes shall come according to families; and the family which theLordtakes shall come by households; and the household which theLordtakes shall come man by man.
15 Then it shall bethathe who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he hastransgressed the covenant of theLord, and because hehas done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’ ”
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17 He brought the clan of Judah, and he took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18 Then 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 Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you,give glory to theLordGod of Israel,and make confession to Him, andtell me now what you have done; do not hideitfrom me.”
20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “IndeedI have sinned against theLordGod of Israel, and this is what I have done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before theLord.
24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, andall that he had, and they brought them tothe Valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said,“Why have you troubled us? TheLordwill trouble you this day.”So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26 Then theyraised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. SotheLordturned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been calledthe Valley of Achor to this day.