Joshua 7

7 ¹ But the people of Israel were unfaithful regarding the things devoted to destruction, for Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was devoted. So the anger of our Father burned against the people of Israel. ¹ 1 v1 When something was 'devoted to destruction,' it was entirely claimed by God — no one was permitted to keep any part of it for themselves. 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 When they returned to Joshua they told him, "Not all the people need go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai; do not wear out all the people there, for they are few." ⁴ So about three thousand of the people went up, but they fled before the men of Ai. ⁵ The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the city gate as far as the quarries and striking them on the slope. And the hearts of the people melted and became like water. ⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of our Father until evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they threw dust on their heads. ⁷ And Joshua said, "Oh, Sovereign Father, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan, only 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 Please, Sovereign Father, what can I say, now that Israel has turned and fled from its enemies? ⁹ The Canaanites and all who live in the land will hear of it; they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?"

¹⁰ Our Father said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them. They have taken some of what was devoted; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put it among their own belongings. ¹² That is why the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs and run, because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. ¹³ Get up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because this is what our Father, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.' ¹⁴ In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe our Father selects shall come forward clan by clan; the clan he selects shall come forward family by family; and the family he selects shall come forward man by man. ¹⁵ Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all he has, because he has violated the covenant of our Father and has done an outrageous thing in Israel.'"

Achan's Sin Brought to Light

¹⁶ Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was selected. ¹⁷ He brought the clans of Judah forward, and the Zerahites were selected. He brought the Zerahites forward family by family, and Zabdi was selected. ¹⁸ Joshua brought his household forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected. ¹⁹ Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to our Father, the God of Israel, and give him praise. Tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."

²⁰ Achan replied to Joshua, "It is true; I have sinned against our Father, the God of Israel. This is what I did: ²¹ When 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 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. ²³ They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the people of Israel, and spread them out before our Father. ²⁴ Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, and the bar of gold, along with his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, and sheep, his tent and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor. ²⁵ Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? Our Father will bring trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. ²⁶ Over him they raised a great heap of stones, which remains to this day. Then our Father turned from his burning anger. That is why that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day. ² 2 v26 'Achor' means 'trouble' — the valley was named to mark the disaster Achan's sin brought on Israel.