But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for a||Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of ||Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. 2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside bBeth-aven, on the east side of cBeth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let †about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. 4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and dthey fled before the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them ||in the going down: wherefore ethe hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

6 And Joshua frent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and gput dust upon their heads. 7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord God, hwherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their †backs before their enemies! 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and icut off our name from the earth: and jwhat wilt thou do unto thy great name? 10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore †liest thou thus upon thy face? 11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also ktransgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of lthe accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 12 mTherefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their nbacks before their enemies, because they were oaccursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy othe accursed from among you. 13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, pSanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is oan accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away othe accursed thing from among you.