²¹ When I saw in the plunder^(A) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,^[a] two hundred shekels^[b] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,^[c] I coveted^(B) 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^(C) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.^{(D) 25} Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble^(E) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him,^(F) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.^{(G) 26} Over Achan they heaped^(H) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.^(I) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.^(J) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor^[d](K) ever since.

Ai Destroyed

8 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid;^(A) do not be discouraged.^(B) Take the whole army^(C) with you, and go up and attack Ai.^(D) For I have delivered^(E) into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. ² You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder^(F) and livestock for yourselves.^(G) Set an ambush^(H) behind the city.”

³ So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night ⁴ with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert.