Joshua 7

Ai Defeats the Israelites

7But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD

. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.H1121H3478H4603H4604H2764H5912H1121H3756H1121H2067H1121H2226H4294H3063H3947H2764H639H3068H2734H1121H34782Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.H3091H7971H582H3405H5857H5973H1007H6924H1008H559H559H5927H7270H776H582H5927H7270H58573When they returned, they told Joshua, "There's no need for all of us to go up there; it won't take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don't make all our people struggle to go up there."H7725H3091H559H5971H5927H7969H505H376H5927H5221H5857H5971H3021H45924So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of AiH5927H5971H7969H505H376H5127H6440H582H58575chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries

, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.H582H5857H5221H7970H8337H376H7291H6440H8179H7671H5221H4174H3824H5971H4549H43256Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening.H3091H7167H8071H5307H776H6440H6440H727H3068H6153H2205H3478H5927H6083H72187Then Joshua cried out, "Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!H3091H559H162H136H3069H5674H5674H5971H5674H3383H5414H3027H567H6H3863H2974H3427H5676H33838Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies?H994H136H559H310H3478H2015H6203H6440H3419For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?"H3669H3427H776H8085H5437H3772H8034H776H6213H1419H803410But the LORD said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?H3068H559H3091H6965H5307H644011Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.H3478H2398H5674H1285H6680H3947H2764H1589H3584H7760H362712That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.H1121H3478H3201H6965H6440H341H6437H6203H6440H341H2764H3254H3808H8045H2764H713013"Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.H6965H6942H5971H559H6942H4279H559H3068H430H3478H2764H7130H3478H3201H6965H6440H341H5493H2764H713014"In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the LORD will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the LORD will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the LORD will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one.H1242H7126H7626H7626H3068H3920H7126H4940H4940H3068H3920H7126H1004H1004H3068H3920H7126H1397H139715The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel."H3920H2764H8313H784H5674H1285H3068H6213H5039H3478

Achan’s Sin

16Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Judah was singled out.H3091H7925H1242H7126H3478H7626H7626H3063H392017Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of Zerah came forward, and the family of Zimri was singled out.H7126H4940H3063H3920H4940H2227H7126H4940H2227H1397H1397H2067H392018Every member of Zimri's family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out.H7126H1004H1397H1397H5912H1121H3756H1121H2067H1121H2226H4294H3063H392019Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me."H3091H559H5912H1121H7760H3519H3068H430H3478H5414H8426H5046H6213H358220Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.H5912H6030H3091H559H546H2398H3068H430H3478H621321Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon

, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest."H7200H7998H259H2896H8152H155H3967H8255H3701H259H3956H2091H2572H8255H4948H2530H3947H2934H776H8432H168H370122So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest.H3091H7971H4397H7323H168H2934H168H370123They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the LORD.H3947H8432H168H935H3091H1121H3478H3332H6440H306824Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.H3091H3478H3947H5912H1121H2226H3701H155H3956H2091H1121H1323H7794H2543H6629H168H5927H6010H591125Then Joshua said to Achan, "Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you." And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.H3091H559H4100H5916H3068H5916H3117H3478H7275H68H8313H784H5619H6826They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble

ever since. So the LORD was no longer angry.H6965H1419H1530H68H3117H3068H7725H2740H639H8034H4725H7121H6010H5911H3117