Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Joshua 6-7
Close ESV

Joshua 6-7
English Standard Version

The Fall of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, (A)I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests shall bear seven (B)trumpets of (C)rams' horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and (D)the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat,[a] and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let (E)the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”

8 And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. 9 The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the (F)rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and (G)the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

15 On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17 And the city and all that is within it shall be (H)devoted to the Lord for destruction.[b] Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she (I)hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel (J)a thing for destruction and (K)bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and (L)the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21 Then they (M)devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

22 But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, (N)as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and (O)her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. 24 And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. (P)Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And (Q)she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, (R)“Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.

“At the cost of his firstborn
    shall he lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son
    shall he set up its gates.”

27 (S)So the Lord was with Joshua, and (T)his fame was in all the land.

Israel Defeated at Ai

7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for (U)Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near (V)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And (W)they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people (X)melted and became as water.

6 Then Joshua (Y)tore his clothes and (Z)fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put (AA)dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, (AB)why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and (AC)cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”

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 (AD)transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the (AE)devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 (AF)Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They (AG)turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become (AH)devoted for destruction.[c] I will be with you no more, unless you destroy (AI)the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, (AJ)‘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 (AK)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 (AL)And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has (AM)transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done (AN)an outrageous thing in Israel.’”

16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the (AO)Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, (AP)give glory to the Lord God of Israel and (AQ)give praise[d] to him. And (AR)tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly (AS)I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,[e] then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the (AT)Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you (AU)bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel (AV)stoned him with stones. (AW)They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him (AX)a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then (AY)the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.[f]

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:5 Hebrew under itself; also verse 20
  2. Joshua 6:17 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); also verses 18, 21
  3. Joshua 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
  4. Joshua 7:19 Or and make confession
  5. Joshua 7:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  6. Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble
Listen to Joshua 6-7
Close NKJV

Joshua 6-7
New King James Version

The Destruction of Jericho

6 Now (A)Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! (B)I have given Jericho into your hand, its (C)king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven (D)trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city (E)seven times, and (F)the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

6 Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord.”

8 So it was, when Joshua had spoken to the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 The armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets, (G)and the rear guard came after the ark, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” 11 So he had (H)the ark of the Lord circle the city, going around it once. Then they came into the camp and [a]lodged in the camp.

12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, (I)and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually and blew with the trumpets. And the armed men went before them. But the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while the priests continued blowing the trumpets. 14 And the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. So they did six days.

15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times. 16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city! 17 Now the city shall be (J)doomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only (K)Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because (L)she hid the messengers that we sent. 18 And you, (M)by all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, (N)and trouble it. 19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are [b]consecrated to the Lord; they [c]shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”

20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that (O)the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21 And they (P)utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot’s house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, (Q)as you swore to her.” 23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, (R)her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel. 24 But they burned the city and all that was in it with fire. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. 25 And Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So (S)she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Then Joshua [d]charged them at that time, saying, (T)“Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with his firstborn, and with his youngest he shall set up its gates.”

27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.

Defeat at Ai

7 But the children of Israel [e]committed a (U)trespass regarding the (V)accursed[f] things, for (W)Achan the son of Carmi, the son of [g]Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.

2 Now 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 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, for the people of Ai are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, (X)but they fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore (Y)the[h] hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua (Z)tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they (AA)put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord [i]God, (AB)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 [j]back before its enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and (AC)cut off our name from the earth. Then (AD)what will You do for Your great name?”

The Sin of Achan

10 So the Lord said 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. (AE)For they have even taken some of the [k]accursed things, and have both stolen and (AF)deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 (AG)Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because (AH)they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, (AI)sanctify[l] the people, and say, (AJ)‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an 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 be that the tribe which (AK)the Lord takes shall come according to families; and the family which the Lord takes shall come by households; and the household which the Lord takes shall come man by man. 15 (AL)Then it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has (AM)transgressed[m] the covenant of the Lord, and because he (AN)has 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, (AO)was taken.

19 Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, (AP)give glory to the Lord God of Israel, (AQ)and make confession to Him, and (AR)tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed (AS)I have sinned against the Lord God 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 [n]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 the Lord. 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, and (AT)all that he had, and they brought them to (AU)the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, (AV)“Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” (AW)So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.

26 Then they (AX)raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So (AY)the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called (AZ)the Valley of [o]Achor to this day.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:11 spent the night
  2. Joshua 6:19 set apart
  3. Joshua 6:19 shall go
  4. Joshua 6:26 warned
  5. Joshua 7:1 acted unfaithfully
  6. Joshua 7:1 devoted
  7. Joshua 7:1 Zimri, 1 Chr. 2:6
  8. Joshua 7:5 the people’s courage failed
  9. Joshua 7:7 Heb. YHWH, Lord
  10. Joshua 7:8 Lit. neck
  11. Joshua 7:11 devoted
  12. Joshua 7:13 set apart
  13. Joshua 7:15 overstepped
  14. Joshua 7:21 desired
  15. Joshua 7:26 Lit. Trouble
Listen to Joshua 6-7
Close NIV

Joshua 6-7
New International Version

6 Now the gates of Jericho(A) were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered(B) Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns(C) in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.(D) 5 When you hear them sound a long blast(E) on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout;(F) then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.”(G) 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance(H)! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark(I) of the Lord.”

8 When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. 9 The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard(J) followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!(K)” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times.(L) 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!(M) 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted[a](N) to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute(O) and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid(P) the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things,(Q) so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction(R) and bring trouble(S) on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(T) are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

20 When the trumpets sounded,(U) the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout,(V) the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city.(W) 21 They devoted(X) the city to the Lord and destroyed(Y) with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

22 Joshua said to the two men(Z) who had spied out(AA) the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.(AB)” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her.(AC) They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

24 Then they burned the whole city(AD) and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron(AE) into the treasury of the Lord’s house.(AF) 25 But Joshua spared(AG) Rahab the prostitute,(AH) with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho(AI)—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath:(AJ) “Cursed(AK) before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

“At the cost of his firstborn son
    he will lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
    he will set up its gates.”(AL)

27 So the Lord was with Joshua,(AM) and his fame spread(AN) throughout the land.

Achan’s Sin

7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[b];(AO) Achan(AP) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[c] the son of Zerah,(AQ) of the tribe of Judah,(AR) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned(AS) against Israel.(AT)

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,(AU) which is near Beth Aven(AV) to the east of Bethel,(AW) and told them, “Go up and spy out(AX) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,(AY) 5 who killed about thirty-six(AZ) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear(BA) and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes(BB) and fell facedown(BC) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.(BD) The elders of Israel(BE) did the same, and sprinkled dust(BF) on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why(BG) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?(BH) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.(BI) What then will you do for your own great name?(BJ)”

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

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves(BT) 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(BU) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses(BV) 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(BW) shall be destroyed by fire,(BX) along with all that belongs to him.(BY) He has violated the covenant(BZ) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”(CA)

16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.(CB) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,(CC) was chosen.(CD)

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory(CE) to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell(CF) me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder(CG) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,[d] two hundred shekels[e] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,[f] I coveted(CH) them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons(CI) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.(CJ) 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble(CK) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him,(CL) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.(CM) 26 Over Achan they heaped(CN) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.(CO) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.(CP) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor[g](CQ) ever since.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 18 and 21.
  2. Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.
  3. Joshua 7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18.
  4. Joshua 7:21 Hebrew Shinar
  5. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  6. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
  7. Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble.
Listen to Joshua 6-7
Close NASB

Joshua 6-7
New American Standard Bible

The Conquest of Jericho

6 Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with (A)its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven (B)trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down [a]flat, and the people shall go up, everyone [b]straight ahead.”

6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord.” 7 Then [c]he said to the people, “Go forward and march around the city, and the armed men shall go on ahead of the ark of the Lord.” 8 And it was so, that when Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward and blew the trumpets; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them. 9 And the armed men went ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and (C)the rear guard came after the ark, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 10 But Joshua commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard, nor let a word proceed from your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord [d]taken around the city, circling it once; then they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

12 Now Joshua got up early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 Then (D)the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went ahead of them, and (E)the rear guard came after the ark of the Lord, while they continued to blow the trumpets. 14 So the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp; they did the same for six days.

15 Then on the seventh day they got up early at the dawning of the day and marched around the city in the same way seven times; only on that day did they march around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “(F)Shout! For the Lord has given you the city. 17 But the city shall be (G)designated for [e]destruction, it and everything that is in it belongs to the Lord; only Rahab the prostitute [f]and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18 But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things designated for destruction, so that you do not covet them and (H)take some of the designated things, and turn the camp of Israel into something designated for destruction and bring disaster on it. 19 (I)But all the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” 20 So the people shouted, and [g]the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the (J)wall fell down [h]flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight [i]ahead, and they took the city. 21 (K)They [j]utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword.

22 And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “(L)Go into the prostitute’s house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her.” 23 So the young men who were spies went in and (M)brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel. 24 Then (N)they burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the [k]house of the Lord. 25 However, (O)Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua [l]spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, because (P)she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

26 Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “(Q)Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he will lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he will set up its gates.” 27 So (R)the Lord was with Joshua, and his (S)fame was in all the land.

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

7 (T)But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things designated for destruction, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the designated things; therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near (U)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “[m]Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up; have only about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not trouble all the people there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but (V)they fled [n]from the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck and killed about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them [o]from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them on the mountainside; and the (W)hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua (X)tore his clothes and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and (Y)they put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Oh, Lord [p]God! Why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites, to eliminate us? If only we had been willing [q]to live beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their [r]back before their enemies? 9 (Z)For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear about it, and they will surround us and eliminate our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

10 So the Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned, and (AA)they have also violated My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things designated for destruction, and have both stolen and kept it a secret. Furthermore, they have also put them among their own things. 12 Therefore the (AB)sons of Israel cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their [s]backs before their enemies, because they have become designated for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you eliminate from your midst the things designated for destruction. 13 Stand up! (AC)Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord, the God of Israel, has said this: “(AD)There are things designated for destruction in your midst, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you have removed the designated things from your midst.” 14 So in the morning you shall come forward by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which (AE)the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by families, and the family which the Lord selects shall come forward by households, and the household which the Lord selects shall come forward man by man. 15 And (AF)it shall be that the one who is selected with the things designated for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the covenant of the Lord, and because he (AG)has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

The Sin of Achan

16 So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward by [t]tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 So he brought the family of Judah forward, and he selected the family of the Zerahites; then he brought the family of the Zerahites forward man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18 And he brought his household forward man by man; and (AH)Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, (AI)give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” 20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and [u]this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoils a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I (AJ)wanted them and took them; and behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 So they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel; and they [v]laid them out before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his [w]oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to (AK)the Valley of [x]Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why have you (AL)brought disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you this day.” And all Israel stoned [y]them with stones; and they burned them with fire [z]after they had stoned them with stones. 26 Then they erected over him a large heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called (AM)the Valley of [aa]Achor to this day.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 6:5 Lit in its place
  2. Joshua 6:5 Lit before himself
  3. Joshua 6:7 Another reading is they
  4. Joshua 6:11 Lit to go around
  5. Joshua 6:17 I.e., as an offering to God
  6. Joshua 6:17 Lit she and all
  7. Joshua 6:20 Lit they
  8. Joshua 6:20 Lit in its place
  9. Joshua 6:20 Lit before himself
  10. Joshua 6:21 Or put under the ban
  11. Joshua 6:24 I.e., tabernacle
  12. Joshua 6:25 Lit let live
  13. Joshua 7:2 Lit saying, Go
  14. Joshua 7:4 Lit before
  15. Joshua 7:5 Lit before
  16. Joshua 7:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  17. Joshua 7:7 Lit and had lived
  18. Joshua 7:8 Lit neck
  19. Joshua 7:12 Lit necks
  20. Joshua 7:16 Lit its tribes
  21. Joshua 7:20 Lit thus and thus I did
  22. Joshua 7:23 Lit emptied
  23. Joshua 7:24 Or cattle
  24. Joshua 7:24 I.e., disaster
  25. Joshua 7:25 Lit him
  26. Joshua 7:25 Lit and they stoned
  27. Joshua 7:26 I.e., disaster
Next
Joshua 5
Joshua 8
Next
dropdown
English Standard Version (ESV)

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.

ESV Study Bible
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation