Defeat at Ai

7 But the children of Israel 1committed a atrespass regarding the baccursed 2things, for cAchan the son of Carmi, the son of 3Zabdi, 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, dbut 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 ethe 4hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6 Then Joshua ftore 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 gput dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord 5God, hwhy 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 6back before its enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and icut off our name from the earth. Then jwhat 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. kFor they have even taken some of the 7accursed things, and have both stolen and ldeceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. 12 mTherefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because nthey have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. 13 Get up, osanctify 8the 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 qthe 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 rThen 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 stransgressed 9the covenant of the Lord, and because he thas 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, uwas taken.

19 Now Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I beg you, vgive glory to the Lord God of Israel, wand make confession to Him, and xtell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed yI 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 1coveted 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 zall that he had, and they brought them to athe Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, b“Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” cSo all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.

26 Then they draised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So ethe Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called fthe Valley of 2Achor to this day.