Joshua 7
International Standard Version
Israel is Defeated at Ai
7 Later, the Israelis broke their promise regarding the things that had been turned over to destruction. Carmi’s son Achan, grandson of Zabdi and great-grandson of Zerah from the tribe of Judah, appropriated some of the things that had been turned over to destruction. As a result, the Lord became angry with the Israelis.
2 Meanwhile, Joshua had sent some soldiers from Jericho to Ai, which was near Beth-aven, east of Bethel. He ordered them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the soldiers went up and scouted Ai and 3 returned to Joshua.
“Not all of the people need to go up,” they reported. “Only about two or three thousand men should attack Ai. Since they are so few, don’t make all of the army work hard up there.”
4 So about three thousand went up there, but they ran away from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about 36 of them, pursuing them outside the city gates as far as Shebarim, killing them as they descended. As a result, the army became terrified and lost their confidence.[a] 6 At this, Joshua tore his clothes, fell down to the ground on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening—he and the leaders of Israel—and they covered their heads with dust. 7 “Lord God,” Joshua asked, “Why have you brought this people across the Jordan River? To hand us over to the Amorites so we’ll be destroyed? Wouldn’t it have been better for us to be content to settle on the other side of the Jordan? 8 Lord, what am I to say, now that Israel has run[b] away from its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of this, will surround us, and eliminate us[c] from the earth! Then what will you do about your great reputation?”[d]
The Lord Rebukes Joshua
10 “Get up!” the Lord replied to Joshua. “Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned. They broke my covenant that I commanded them by taking some of the things that had been turned over to destruction. They have stolen, have been deceitful, and have stored what they stole[e] among their own belongings. 12 The Israelis have been unable to stand before their enemies. They’re turning their backs and running from[f] their enemies because they themselves have been turned over to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy these things that have been turned over to destruction. 13 So get up and sanctify the people. Tell them, ‘Sanctify yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord God of Israel, says: “There are things turned over to destruction among you, Israel. You won’t be able to defeat your enemies until you remove what has been turned over to destruction. 14 Tomorrow morning you are to come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe that the Lord selects[g] is to come forward by tribes, the tribe that the Lord selects is to come forward by households, and the household that the Lord selects is to come forward one by one. 15 The one selected as having taken what has been turned over to destruction is to be incinerated, along with everything that pertains to him, because he has transgressed against the covenant of the Lord and committed an outrageous thing in Israel.”’”
Achan’s Sin Revealed
16 So Joshua got up early that morning, brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He brought near the tribes of Judah, and the Zerahite tribe was selected. Then he brought near the Zerahite tribe family by family, and the household of Zabdi was selected. 18 Next, he brought near his household one by one, and Carmi’s son Achan, grandson of Zabdi and great-grandson of Zerah, was selected from the tribe of Judah.
19 Joshua then spoke to Achan, “My son, give glory and praise[h] to the Lord God of Israel.[i] Tell me right now what you did. Don’t hide anything.”
20 Achan answered Joshua, “It’s true. I’m the one who sinned against the Lord God of Israel. 21 I noticed among the war spoils a beautiful mantle from Shinar,[j] 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels. Because I wanted them, I took them, and they’re buried in the ground inside my tent. The silver is underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent some messengers, who ran to the tent. And there it was, hidden in the tent with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent that had been turned over to destruction,[k] brought them to Joshua and all of the Israelis, and laid them out in the presence of the Lord. 24 Then Joshua, with all Israel accompanying him, took Zerah’s son Achan, along with the silver, the mantle, the gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything that belonged to him to the Valley of Achor.
25 Joshua announced, “Why did you bring trouble to us? Today the Lord is bringing trouble to you!” So all Israel stoned him to death, incinerated them, and buried them with stones, 26 piling up a large mound of boulders that remains to this day. After this, the Lord turned his burning anger away, and that is why that place is called “the Valley of Achor”[l] to this day.
Footnotes
- Joshua 7:5 Lit. the hearts of the people melted and turned to water
- Joshua 7:8 Lit. turned
- Joshua 7:9 Lit. eliminate our name
- Joshua 7:9 Lit. name
- Joshua 7:11 The Heb. lacks what they stole
- Joshua 7:12 The Heb. lacks and running from
- Joshua 7:14 Lit. selects by lottery; and so through v 18
- Joshua 7:19 Lit. thanks
- Joshua 7:19 I.e. by telling the truth
- Joshua 7:21 I.e. Babylon
- Joshua 7:23 Lit. took them
- Joshua 7:26 The Heb. name Achor means Trouble
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 © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International