The Sin of Achan

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have (A)transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the (B)devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 (C)Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They (D)turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become (E)devoted for destruction.[a] I will be with you no more, unless you destroy (F)the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, (G)‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near (H)by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 (I)And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has (J)transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done (K)an outrageous thing in Israel.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Joshua 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned;(A) they have violated my covenant,(B) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,(C) they have put them with their own possessions.(D) 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;(E) they turn their backs(F) and run(G) because they have been made liable to destruction.(H) I will not be with you anymore(I) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves(J) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

14 “‘In the morning, present(K) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses(L) shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things(M) shall be destroyed by fire,(N) along with all that belongs to him.(O) He has violated the covenant(P) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”(Q)

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