Joshua 7
International Children’s Bible
The Sin of Achan
7 But the people of Israel did not obey the Lord. There was a man from the tribe of Judah named Achan. (He was the son of Carmi and grandson of Zimri. And Zimri was the son of Zerah.) Achan kept some of the things that were to be given to the Lord. So the Lord became very angry at the Israelites.
2 Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai. (Ai was near Beth Aven, east of Bethel.) He told them, “Go to Ai and spy out the area.” So the men went to spy on Ai.
3 Later they came back to Joshua. They said, “There are only a few men in Ai to fight against us. So we will not need all our people to defeat them. Send 2,000 or 3,000 men to fight there. There is no need to send all of our people.” 4 So about 3,000 men went to Ai. But the people of Ai beat them badly. 5 The people of Ai chased the Israelites. They chased them from the city gate all the way to where stones were cut from the ground. They killed about 36 Israelites as they went down the hill. When the Israelites saw this, they became very afraid.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes to show how upset he was. He bowed facedown on the ground before the Box of the Lord. And he stayed there until evening. The leaders of Israel did the same thing. They also threw dirt on their heads to show they were upset. 7 Then Joshua said, “Lord God, you brought our people across the Jordan River. Why did you bring us this far and then let the Amorites destroy us? We should have been happy to stay on the other side of the Jordan. 8 Lord, there is nothing I can say now. Israel has been beaten by the enemy. 9 The Canaanites and all the other people in this country will hear about this. They will surround and kill all of us! Then what will you do for your own great name?”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why are you down on your face? 11 The Israelites have sinned. They have broken the agreement I commanded them to obey. They took some of the things I commanded them to destroy. They have stolen from me. They have lied. They have taken those things for themselves. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot face their enemies. They turn away from the fight and run. I have commanded that they be destroyed. You must destroy everything I commanded you to destroy. I will not help you anymore unless you do this.
13 “Now go! Have the people make themselves holy for me. Tell them, ‘Set yourselves apart to the Lord for tomorrow. The Lord, the God of Israel, says some of you are keeping things he commanded you to destroy. You will never defeat your enemies until you throw away those things.
14 “‘Tomorrow morning you must all stand before the Lord. All the tribes will stand before him. The Lord will choose one tribe. And that tribe must stand alone before him. Then the Lord will choose one family group from that tribe. And that family group must stand alone before him. Then the Lord will choose one family from that family group. And it must stand alone before him. Then the Lord will look at that family man by man. 15 The man who is keeping what should have been destroyed will himself be destroyed by fire. And everything he owns will be destroyed with him. He has broken the agreement with the Lord. He has done a disgraceful thing among the people of Israel!’”
16 Early the next morning Joshua led all of Israel before the Lord. All of the tribes stood before him. And the Lord chose the tribe of Judah. 17 So all the family groups of Judah stood before the Lord. The Lord then chose the family group of Zerah. And all the families of Zerah stood before the Lord. Then the family of Zimri was chosen. 18 And Joshua told all the men in that family to come before the Lord. The Lord chose Achan son of Carmi. (Carmi was the son of Zimri. And Zimri was the son of Zerah.)
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, you should tell the truth. Confess to the Lord, the God of Israel. Tell me what you did. Don’t try to hide anything from me.”
20 Achan answered, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did: 21 Among the things I saw was a beautiful coat from Babylonia. And I saw about five pounds of silver and more than one and one-quarter pounds of gold. I wanted these things very much for myself. So I took them. You will find them buried in the ground under my tent. The silver is under the coat.”
22 So Joshua sent some men to the tent. They ran to the tent and found the things hidden there. The silver was under the coat. 23 The men brought them out of the tent. Then they took them to Joshua and all the Israelites. They spread them out on the ground before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua and all the people led Achan son of Zerah to the Valley of Trouble. They also took the silver, the coat and the gold. They took Achan’s sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, tent and everything he owned. 25 Joshua said, “I don’t know why you caused so much trouble for us. But now the Lord will bring trouble to you.” Then all the people threw stones at Achan until he died. They also killed his family with stones. Then the people burned them. 26 They piled rocks over Achan’s body. And those rocks are still there today. That is why it is called the Valley of Trouble. After this the Lord was no longer angry.
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.
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