Joshua 7
Living Bible
7 But there was sin among the Israelis. God’s command to destroy everything except that which was reserved for the Lord’s treasury was disobeyed. For Achan (the son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, and great-grandson of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah) took some loot for himself, and the Lord was very angry with the entire nation of Israel because of this.
2 Soon after Jericho’s defeat, Joshua sent some of his men to spy on the city of Ai, east of Bethel.
3 Upon their return they told Joshua, “It’s a small city and it won’t take more than two or three thousand of us to destroy it; there’s no point in all of us going there.”
4 So approximately three thousand soldiers were sent—and they were soundly defeated. 5 About thirty-six of the Israelis were killed during the attack, and many others died while being chased by the men of Ai as far as the quarries. The Israeli army was paralyzed with fear at this turn of events. 6 Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing and lay prostrate before the Ark of the Lord until evening, with dust on their heads.
7 Joshua cried out to the Lord, “O Jehovah, why have you brought us over the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? Why weren’t we content with what we had? Why didn’t we stay on the other side? 8 O Lord, what am I to do now that Israel has fled from her enemies! 9 For when the Canaanites and the other nearby nations hear about it, they will surround us and attack us and wipe us out. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”
10-11 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Get up off your face! Israel has sinned and disobeyed my commandment and has taken loot when I said it was not to be taken; and they have not only taken it, they have lied about it and have hidden it among their belongings. 12 That is why the people of Israel are being defeated. That is why your men are running from their enemies—for they are cursed.[a] I will not stay with you any longer unless you completely rid yourselves of this sin.
13 “Get up! Tell the people, ‘Each of you must undergo purification rites in preparation for tomorrow, for the Lord your God of Israel says that someone has stolen from him, and you cannot defeat your enemies until you deal with this sin. 14 In the morning you must come by tribes, and the Lord will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. And that tribe must come by its clans and the Lord will point out the guilty clan; and the clan must come by its families, and then each member of the guilty family must come one by one. 15 And the one who has stolen that which belongs to the Lord shall be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has violated the covenant of the Lord and has brought calamity upon all of Israel.’”
16 So, early the next morning, Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the Lord, and the tribe of Judah was indicated. 17 Then he brought the clans of Judah, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of that clan were brought before the Lord and the family of Zabdi was indicated. 18 Zabdi’s family was brought man by man, and his grandson Achan was found to be the guilty one.
19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the God of Israel and make your confession. Tell me what you have done.”
20 Achan replied, “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 For I saw a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, and some silver worth $200, and a bar of gold worth $500. I wanted them so much that I took them, and they are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”
22 So Joshua sent some men to search for the loot. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest. 23 They brought it all to Joshua and laid it on the ground in front of him. 24 Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, donkeys, sheep, his tent, and everything he had, and brought them to the valley of Achor.
25 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought calamity upon us? The Lord will now bring calamity upon you.”
And the men of Israel stoned them to death and burned their bodies, 26 and piled a great heap of stones upon them. The stones are still there to this day, and even today that place is called “The Valley of Calamity.” And so the fierce anger of the Lord was ended.
Footnotes
- Joshua 7:12 for they are cursed, literally, “they have become ‘something which must be totally destroyed’ or else become totally God’s.”
Joshua 7
GOD’S WORD Translation
Achan’s Sin and Its Consequences
7 The people of Israel proved to be disloyal about the things claimed by the Lord. Achan, son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, great-grandson of Zerah, and a member of the tribe of Judah, took something that had been claimed by the Lord. So the Lord became angry with the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. Ai is near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, “Go, look at that country.” So the men went and looked at Ai.
3 They came back to Joshua and told him, “You don’t need to send all the troops. Only about two or three thousand men are needed to destroy Ai. Don’t tire the troops out by sending all of them. There are only a few troops in Ai.”
4 So about three thousand men were sent. However, they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the city gate to the slope of the stone quarries. Israel’s troops lost heart and were scared stiff.
6 Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes in grief. They put dust on their heads and bowed down to the ground in front of the Lord’s ark. They stayed there until evening. 7 Joshua said, “Almighty Lord, why did you bring these people across the Jordan River? Was it to hand us over to the Amorites so that they could destroy us? I wish we had been content to live on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Lord, what else can I say after Israel ran away from its enemy? 9 When the Canaanites and everyone who lives in the land hears about it, they will surround us and remove every memory of us from the earth. What will you do then so that your great name ⌞will be remembered⌟?”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! What are you doing bowing on the ground? 11 Israel has sinned. They have ignored the requirements [a] that I have placed on them. They have taken what I claimed for myself and put it among their own goods. They have not only stolen, but they have also lied.
12 “The people of Israel will not be able to defend themselves against their enemies. They will run away from their enemies because the people of Israel are now claimed for destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy what I have claimed for myself.
13 “Get up! Tell the people, ‘Get ready for tomorrow by performing the ceremonies to make yourselves holy. This is what the Lord God of Israel says: You have what I claimed for myself, Israel. You will not be able to defend yourselves against your enemies until you get rid of what I have claimed. 14 In the morning come forward by tribes ⌞to the tent of meeting⌟. The tribe the Lord selects will come forward by families. Then the family the Lord selects will come forward by households, and the household the Lord selects will come forward man by man. 15 The man who is selected, along with everything he has, must be burned because he has ⌞stolen⌟ what the Lord has claimed. He has ignored the Lord’s requirements and done a godless thing in Israel.’ ”
16 Joshua got up early in the morning. He had Israel come forward by tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected. 17 Then he had the families of Judah come forward, and the family of Zerah was selected. Then he had the family of Zerah come forward man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18 Then he had Zabdi’s household come forward man by man, and Achan was selected. Achan from the tribe of Judah was the son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, and great-grandson of Zerah.
19 Joshua said to Achan, “Son, give honor and praise to the Lord God of Israel! Tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me.”
20 Then Achan answered Joshua, “It’s true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel. This is what I did: 21 I saw a fine robe from Babylonia, five pounds of silver, and a bar of gold weighing about one pound among the loot. I wanted them, so I took them. You will find them buried inside my tent with the silver beneath them.”
22 Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. The loot was buried inside with the silver beneath it. 23 They took the loot from the tent and brought it to Joshua and all the people of Israel. Then they laid it out in the presence of the Lord.
24 Joshua and all Israel took Achan (son of Zerah), the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, and his tent—everything he had—and brought them to the valley of Achor [Disaster].
25 Then Joshua said, “Why did you bring this disaster on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” And all Israel stoned Achan and his family to death. Then they burned the bodies and piled stones over them. 26 They made such a large pile of stones over Achan that it is still there today. Then the Lord withdrew his burning anger. For this reason that place is still called the valley of Achor today.
Footnotes
- 7:11 Or “covenant.”
Joshua 7
King James Version
7 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man.
15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17 And he brought the family 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 And 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 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
Joshua 7
New King James Version
Defeat at Ai
7 But the children of Israel [a]committed a (A)trespass regarding the (B)accursed[b] things, for (C)Achan the son of Carmi, the son of [c]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, (D)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 (E)the[d] hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Then Joshua (F)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 (G)put dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord [e]God, (H)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 [f]back before its enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and (I)cut off our name from the earth. Then (J)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. (K)For they have even taken some of the [g]accursed things, and have both stolen and (L)deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 (M)Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because (N)they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, (O)sanctify[h] the people, and say, (P)‘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 (Q)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 (R)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 (S)transgressed[i] the covenant of the Lord, and because he (T)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, (U)was taken.
19 Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, (V)give glory to the Lord God of Israel, (W)and make confession to Him, and (X)tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed (Y)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 [j]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 (Z)all that he had, and they brought them to (AA)the Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, (AB)“Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” (AC)So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26 Then they (AD)raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So (AE)the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called (AF)the Valley of [k]Achor to this day.
Footnotes
- Joshua 7:1 acted unfaithfully
- Joshua 7:1 devoted
- Joshua 7:1 Zimri, 1 Chr. 2:6
- Joshua 7:5 the people’s courage failed
- Joshua 7:7 Heb. YHWH, Lord
- Joshua 7:8 Lit. neck
- Joshua 7:11 devoted
- Joshua 7:13 set apart
- Joshua 7:15 overstepped
- Joshua 7:21 desired
- Joshua 7:26 Lit. Trouble
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
