Joshua 7

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

7 But the Israelites committed a trespass in regard to the devoted things; for Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the things devoted [for destruction]. And the anger of the Lord burned against Israel.

²Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, Go up and spy out the land. So the men went up and spied out Ai.

³And they returned to Joshua and said to him, Let not all the men go up; but let about two thousand or three thousand go up and attack Ai; do not make the whole army toil up there, for they of Ai are few.

⁴So about three thousand Israelites went up there, but they fled before the men of Ai.

⁵And the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and slew them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

⁶Then Joshua rent his clothes and lay on the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

⁷Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all only to give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan!

⁸O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned to flee before their enemies!

⁹For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?

¹⁰The Lord said to Joshua, Get up! Why do you lie thus upon your face?

¹¹Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. They have taken some of the things devoted [for destruction]; they have stolen, and lied, and put them among their own baggage.

¹²That is why the Israelites could not stand before their enemies, but fled before them; they are accursed and have become devoted [for destruction]. I will cease to be with you unless you destroy the accursed [devoted] things among you.

¹³Up, sanctify (set apart for a holy purpose) the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: There are accursed things in the midst of you, O Israel. You can not stand before your enemies until you take away from among you the things devoted [to destruction].

¹⁴In the morning therefore, you shall present your tribes. And the tribe which the Lord takes shall come by families; and the family which the Lord takes shall come by households; and the household which the Lord takes shall come by persons.

¹⁵And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be [killed and his body] burned with fire, he and all he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord and because he has done a shameful and wicked thing in Israel.^(A)

¹⁶So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.

¹⁷He brought near the family of Judah, and the family of the Zerahites was taken; and he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.

¹⁸He brought near his household man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

¹⁹And Joshua said to Achan, My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make confession to Him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.

²⁰And Achan answered Joshua, In truth, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this have I done:

²¹When I saw among the spoils an attractive mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.

²²So Joshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent, and behold, the spoil was hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.

²³And they took them from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and laid them out before the Lord.

²⁴And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.

²⁵And Joshua said, Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him and those with him with stones, and afterward burned their bodies with fire.

²⁶And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor or Troubling to this day.

Joshua 7

New International Version

Achan’s Sin

7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things^[a];^(A) Achan^(B) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,^[b] the son of Zerah,^(C) of the tribe of Judah,^(D) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned^(E) against Israel.^(F)

²Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,^(G) which is near Beth Aven^(H) to the east of Bethel,^(I) and told them, “Go up and spy out^(J) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

³When 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.” ⁴So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,^(K) ⁵who killed about thirty-six^(L) 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^(M) and became like water.

⁶Then Joshua tore his clothes^(N) and fell facedown^(O) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.^(P) The elders of Israel^(Q) did the same, and sprinkled dust^(R) on their heads. ⁷And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why^(S) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?^(T) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! ⁸Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? ⁹The 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.^(U) What then will you do for your own great name?^(V)”

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

¹³“Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves^(AF) 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^(AG) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses^(AH) 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. ¹⁵Whoever is caught with the devoted things^(AI) shall be destroyed by fire,^(AJ) along with all that belongs to him.^(AK) He has violated the covenant^(AL) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”^(AM)

¹⁶Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. ¹⁷The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.^(AN) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. ¹⁸Joshua 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,^(AO) was chosen.^(AP)

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

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

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

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

Then all Israel stoned him,^(AX) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.^(AY) ²⁶Over Achan they heaped^(AZ) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.^(BA) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.^(BB) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor^[f]^(BC) ever since.

Footnotes

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.
Joshua 7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18.
Joshua 7:21 Hebrew Shinar
Joshua 7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
Joshua 7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble.

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.

²Now 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. ³And 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.” ⁴So about three thousand men went up there from the people, ^(D)but they fled before the men of Ai. ⁵And 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.

⁶Then 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. ⁷And 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! ⁸O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its ^[f]back before its enemies? ⁹For 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

¹⁰So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? ¹¹Israel 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. ¹³Get 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.” ¹⁴In 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.’ ”

¹⁶So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. ¹⁷He 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. ¹⁸Then 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.

¹⁹Now 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.”

²⁰And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed ^(Y)I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: ²¹When 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.”

²²So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. ²³And 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. ²⁴Then 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. ²⁵And 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.

²⁶Then 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

Joshua 7

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

7 But the children of Israel transgressed the commandment, and took to their own use of the anathema. For Achan the son of Charmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zare of the tribe of Juda, took something of the anathema: and the Lord was angry against the children of Israel.

²And when Josue sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them: Go up, and view the country: and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai.

³And returning they said to him: Let not all the people go up, but let two or three thousand men go and destroy the city: why should all the people be troubled in vain against enemies that are very few?

⁴There went up therefore three thousand fighting men: who immediately turned their backs,

⁵And were defeated by the men of the city of Hai, and there fell of them six and thirty men: and the enemies pursued them from the gate as far as Sabarim, and they slew them as they fled by the descent: and the heart of the people was struck with fear, and melted like water.

⁶But Josue rent his garments, and fell flat on the ground before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and all the ancients of Israel: and they put dust upon their heads.

⁷And Josue said: Alas, O Lord God, why wouldst thou bring this people over the river Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorrhite, and to destroy us? would God, we had stayed beyond the Jordan as we began.

⁸My Lord God, what shall I say, seeing Israel turning their backs to their enemies?

⁹The Chanaanites, and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and being gathered together will surround us and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do to thy great name?

¹⁰And the Lord said to Josue: Arise, why liest thou flat on the ground?

¹¹Israel hath sinned, and transgressed my covenant: and they have taken of the anathema, and have stolen and lied, and have hidden it among their goods.

¹²Neither can Israel stand before his enemies, but he shall flee from them: because he is defiled with the anathema. I will be no more with you, till you destroy him that is guilty of this wickedness.

¹³Arise, sanctify the people, and say to them: Be ye sanctified against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel: The anathema is in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thy enemies, till he be destroyed out of thee that is defiled with this wickedness.

¹⁴And you shall come in the morning every one by your tribes: and what tribe soever the lot shall find, it shall come by its kindreds and the kindred by its houses, and the house by the men.

¹⁵And whosoever he be that shall be found guilty of this fact, he shall be burnt with fire with all his substance, because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and hath done wickedness in Israel.

¹⁶Josue, therefore, when he rose in the morning, made Israel to come by their tribes, and the tribe of Juda was found,

¹⁷Which being brought by its families, it was found to be the family of Zare. Bringing that also by the houses, he found it to be Zabdi.

¹⁸And bringing his house man by man, he found Achan the son of Charmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zare of the tribe of Juda.

¹⁹And Josue said to Achan: My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and confess, and tell me what thou hast done, hide it not.

²⁰And Achan answered Josue, and said to him: Indeed I have sinned against the Lord the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.

²¹For I saw among the spoils a scarlet garment exceeding good, and two hundred sides of silver, and a golden rule of fifty sides: and I coveted them, and I took them away, and hid them in the ground is the midst of my tent, and the silver I covered with the earth that I dug up.

²²Josue therefore sent ministers: who running to his tent, found all hidden in the same place, together with the silver.

²³And taking them away out of the tent, they brought them to Josue, and to all the children of Israel, and threw them down before the Lord.

²⁴Then Josue and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zare, and the silver and the garments, and the golden rule, his sons also and his daughters, his oxen and asses and sheep, the tent also, and all the goods: and brought them to the valley of Achor:

²⁵Where Josue said: Because thou hast troubled us, the Lord trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him: and all things that were his, were consumed with fire.

²⁶And they gathered together upon him a great heap of stones, which remaineth until this present day. And the wrath of the Lord was turned away from them. And the name of that place was called the Valley of Achor, until this day.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

The Amplified Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation

New International Version (NIV)

Joshua 7

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Cross references