Joshua 7
1 The Israelites acted unfaithfully with regard to the devoted things. Achan took some of what was devoted—Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah—and the LORD’s anger burned against the Israelites.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Don’t send all the people up. Let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Don’t tire all the people by making them go there, because there are only a few of them.”
4 About three thousand of the people went up there, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chased them from the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them on the descent. The hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads.
7 Joshua said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Why did you bring this people across the Jordan? To hand us over to the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
8 Ah, Lord! What can I say, now that Israel has turned its back before its enemies?
9 The Canaanites and all who live in the land will hear about it, surround us, and wipe out our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there facedown?
11 Israel has sinned. They have transgressed the covenant I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of what was devoted, stolen it, lied about it, and put it among their belongings.
12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you destroy what is devoted from among you.
13 Get up, consecrate the people, and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “There is something devoted for destruction among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove it from among you.”’”
14 “‘In the morning, come forward by tribes. The tribe the LORD selects shall come forward by clans; the clan the LORD selects shall come forward by families; and the family the LORD selects shall come forward one man at a time.
15 The one caught with what is devoted shall be burned in the fire, he and everything that belongs to him, because he transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed an outrage in Israel.’”
16 Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17 He brought forward the clan of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He brought forward the clan of the Zerahites, one man at a time, and Zabdi was selected.
18 He brought forward Zabdi’s family, one man at a time, and Achan was caught—son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and confess to him. Tell me what you have done; don’t hide it from me.”
20 Achan answered Joshua, “It is true: I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I did.
21 I saw among the plunder a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. There it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.
23 They took them from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and laid them out before the LORD.
24 Then Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, and the bar of gold; his sons and daughters; his ox, donkey, and sheep; his tent and everything that belonged to him. All Israel was with him, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster on us? The LORD will bring disaster on you today.” Then all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them in the fire and stoned them with stones.
26 They raised over him a great heap of stones, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. That is why that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app