Joshua 7
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Defeat at Ai
7 The Israelites, however, were unfaithful(A) regarding the things set apart for destruction. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and the Lord’s anger burned against the Israelites.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven,(B) east of Bethel, and told them, ‘Go up and scout the land.’ So the men went up and scouted Ai.
3 After returning to Joshua they reported to him, ‘Don’t send all the people, but send about two thousand or three thousand[a] men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.’ 4 So about three thousand men[b] went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.(C) 5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them and chased them from outside the city gate to the quarries,[c] striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people lost heart.[d](D)
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening,(E) as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads.(F) 7 ‘Oh, Lord God,’ Joshua said, ‘why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! 8 What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? 9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.(G) Then what will you do about your great name? ’(H)
10 The Lord then said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! Why have you fallen face down? 11 Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings.(I) 12 This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction.(J) I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart.
13 ‘Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves for tomorrow,(K) for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are things that are set apart among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart. 14 In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan the Lord selects is to come forward family by family. The family the Lord selects is to come forward man by man. 15 The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated the Lord’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel.’(L)
Achan Judged
16 Joshua got up early the next morning. He made Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He made the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He made the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families,[e] and Zabdi was selected. 18 He then made Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 So Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel,(M) and make a confession to him.[f] I urge you, tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me.’
20 Achan replied to Joshua, ‘It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel.(N) This is what I did: 21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon,[g] two and a half kilograms[h] of silver, and a bar of gold weighing half a kilogram,[i] I coveted them and took them.(O) You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the silver under the cloak.’ 22 So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in the Lord’s presence.
24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.(P) 25 Joshua said, ‘Why have you brought us trouble?(Q) Today the Lord will bring you trouble! ’ So all Israel stoned them[j] to death. They burned their bodies, threw stones on them, 26 and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains still today.(R) Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor[k] still today.
Yehoshua 7
Orthodox Jewish Bible
7 But the Bnei Yisroel broke [covenant] faith in regard to the Cherem; for Achan ben Carmi ben Zavdi ben Zerach of the tribe of Yehudah, took of the Cherem (that which was devoted to destruction); and the Af Hashem was kindled against the Bnei Yisroel.
2 And Yehoshua sent anashim from Yericho to Ai, which is near Beit-Aven, on the east of Beit-El, speaking unto them, saying, Go up and spy out HaAretz. And the anashim went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned to Yehoshua, and said unto him, Let not Kol HaAm go up; but let about two or three thousand Ish go up and attack Ai; and weary not kol HaAm there; for they are but few.
4 So there went up there of HaAm about three thousand Ish; and they fled before the anashim of Ai.
5 And the anashim of Ai struck down of them about thirty and six ish; for they chased them from before the sha’ar even unto Shevarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore the levav HaAm melted, and became like mayim.
6 And Yehoshua tore his clothes, and fell to the ground upon his face before the Aron Hashem until erev, he and the Ziknei Yisroel, and they put dust upon their heads.
7 And Yehoshua said, Alas, Adonoi Hashem, why hast Thou at all brought HaAm Hazeh over the Yarden, to deliver us into the yad HaEmori, to destroy us? If only we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Yarden!
8 O Adonoi, what shall I say, when Yisroel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Kena’ani and all the inhabitants of HaAretz shall hear of it, and shall surround us, and cut off Shemeinu (our name) from HaAretz; and what wilt Thou do unto Thy Shem Hagadol?
10 And Hashem said unto Yehoshua, Stand up; why liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 Yisroel hath sinned, and they have also violated My Brit which I commanded them; for they have even taken of the Cherem, and have also played the ganav, and lied also, and they have put it even among their own possessions.
12 Therefore the Bnei Yisroel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they are for Cherem; neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the Cherem from among you.
13 Up, set HaAm apart as kodesh, and say, Set yourselves apart as kodesh against tomorrow: for thus saith Hashem Elohei Yisroel, There is Cherem among you, O Yisroel; thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the Cherem from among you.
14 In the boker therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes; and it shall be, that the shevet (tribe) which Hashem taketh shall come near according to the mishpekhot thereof; and the mishpakhah which Hashem shall take shall come near by batim; and the bais which Hashem shall take shall come near man by man.
15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the Cherem shall be burned with eish, he and all that he hath; because he hath violated the Brit Hashem, and because he hath wrought shame in Yisroel.
16 So Yehoshua rose up early in the boker, and brought Yisroel near by their tribes; and the Shevet Yehudah was taken;
17 And he brought the Mishpakhat Yehudah; and the Mishpakhat Zarchi was taken; and he brought the Mishpakhat HaZarchi man by man; and Zavdi was taken;
18 And he brought near his Bais man by man; and Achan ben Carmi ben Zavdi ben Zerach, of the tribe of Yehudah, was taken.
19 And Yehoshua said unto Achan, Beni (my son), give, now, kavod to Hashem Elohei Yisroel, and give to Him todah; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Yehoshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against Hashem Elohei Yisroel, and thus and thus have I done;
21 When I saw among the plunder a beautiful robe of Shinar (Babylon), and two hundred shekels of kesef, and a wedge of zahav of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, hinei, they are hid in ha’aretz in the midst of my ohel, and the kesef under it.
22 So Yehoshua sent malachim, and they ran unto the ohel; and, hinei, it was hid in his ohel, and the kesef under it!
23 And they took them out of the midst of the ohel, and brought them unto Yehoshua, and unto all the Bnei Yisroel, and laid them out before Hashem.
24 And Yehoshua, and kol Yisroel with him, took Achan ben Zerach, and the kesef, and the robe, and the wedge of zahav, and his banim, and his banot, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his tzon, and his ohel, and all that he had; and they brought them unto the Emek Achor (Valley of Trouble).
25 And Yehoshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? Hashem shall trouble thee yom hazeh. And kol Yisroel stoned him with even (stones), and burned them with eish, after they had stoned them with avanim (stones).
26 And they raised over him a heap of avanim gadol unto this day. So Hashem turned from the fierceness of His Af (Anger). Therefore the shem of that place was called, Emek Achor, unto this day.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International