Sin Wey Dem Hide Bring Defeat for Ai
Ai pursue one small Israel army and the whole nation courage finish. When Joshua complain, our Papa answer am straight: somebody thief the thing wey dem devote. Achan confess say e see am, e want am, e take am and e hide am — and dem destroy am and everything wey be im own for the valley.
7 1But Israel no keep faith concerning di things wey dem set apart for destruction: Achan, pikin of Carmi, pikin of Zabdi, pikin of Zerah, wey come from di tribe of Judah, take some of am. So our Papa vex well well against Israel. a a v1 Wen dem 'set something apart for destruction,' na God alone own am finish — nobody get permission to keep any part of am for imself. 2Joshua send men from Jericho go Ai, wey dey near Beth-aven, for east of Bethel, tell dem sey, “Go up go spy di land.” So dem go up go spy Ai.
3Dem come back tell Joshua sey, “Everybody no need to go up. Send about two or 3,000 men make dem go attack Ai; no tire all di people—dem no plenty.” 4So about 3,000 of di people go up, but dem run comot for di men of Ai front. 5Di men of Ai kill about thirty-six of dem, chase dem from di gate go reach di quarries, dey strike dem for di place wey dey go down. Di people hearts melt, turn to water. 6Joshua tear im cloth, fall face for ground before di ark of our Papa till evening, im and di elders of Israel, and dem pour dust for dia head. 7Joshua sey, “Ah, Sovereign Papa, why you carry dis people cross di Jordan, come hand us give di Amorites make dem destroy us? If to sey we for just satisfy to stay for di oda side of Jordan! 8Abeg, Sovereign Papa, wetin I fit talk now, as Israel don turn im back dey run from im enemies? 9Di Canaanites and everybody wey dey live for di land go hear am, come surround us, wipe our name comot for di earth. Den wetin you go do for your own great name?”
10Our Papa tell Joshua sey, “Stand up! Why you fall face for ground?
11“Israel don sin, dem don break my Covenant wey I command dem. Dem take some of di devoted things, dem tief, dem lie, and dem put am inside dia own property. 12Na why Israel no fit stand before im enemies—dem turn dia back run for dia front, because dem sef don become devoted to destruction. I no go dey with una again unless una destroy di thing wey be devoted to destruction wey dey among una. 13Get up! Make di people holy. Tell dem sey: Make una make unaself holy for tomorrow, because our Papa, di God of Israel, sey: Devoted things dey among una, Israel. Una no fit stand against una enemies until una remove dem.
14“For morning, make una come present unaself tribe by tribe. Di tribe wey our Papa go pick go come forward clan by clan; di clan wey im pick go come forward family by family; di family wey im pick go come forward man by man. 15Whoever dem catch with di devoted things, dem go burn am with fire—im and everything wey im get—because im don break di Covenant of our Papa and do shameful thing for inside Israel.”
16Joshua wake up early bring Israel come near tribe by tribe; na di tribe of Judah dem pick. 17Im bring di clans of Judah come forward; na di Zerahite clan dem take. Im bring di Zerahite clan come forward, family by family; na Zabdi dem take. 18Joshua bring im household come forward, man by man, and na Achan, pikin of Carmi, pikin of Zabdi, pikin of Zerah, of di tribe of Judah, dem catch. 19Joshua tell Achan sey, “My pikin, give glory to our Papa, di God of Israel, and give am praise. Tell me now wetin you do—no hide am from me.”
20Achan answer Joshua sey, “Na true, I don sin against our Papa, di God of Israel. Na dis one I do: 21For inside di plunder I see one fine robe from Shinar, about five pounds of silver, and one bar of gold wey weigh about 1.2 pounds. I want dem, I take dem; dem dey hide inside di ground of my tent, di silver dey under.”
22Joshua send messengers; dem run go di tent come find am hide inside im tent, di silver dey under. 23Dem take dem comot from inside di tent, bring dem come give Joshua and all di sons of Israel, and dem lay dem out before our Papa. 24Joshua and all Israel take Achan pikin of Zerah, di silver, di robe, di bar of gold, im sons, im daughters, im cattle, im donkeys, im sheep, im tent, and everything wey im get, come carry dem up go di Valley of Achor. 25Joshua sey, “Why you bring trouble come our head? Our Papa go bring trouble give you today.” And all Israel stone Achan with stones, come burn dem with fire, and stone dem with stones. 26Dem heap plenty stones for im top, e still dey there till today. Den our Papa turn from im vex wey dey burn. Na why dem dey call dat place Valley of Achor till today. b b v26 'Achor' mean 'trouble' — dem name di valley to mark di disaster wey Achan sin bring come Israel.
