Joshua 7

Chapter 7

Ai Defeats the Israelites

1 But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD.t A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the LORD was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimrit son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
2 Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.

3 When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”
4 So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai

5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries,t and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
6 Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening.7 Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!8 Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies?

9 For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”
10 But the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?11 Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.

12 That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.

13 “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
14 “In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the LORD will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the LORD will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the LORD will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one.

15 The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel.”

Achan’s Sin

16 Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Judah was singled out.17 Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of Zerah came forward, and the family of Zimri was singled out.

18 Every member of Zimri’s family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out.

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”
20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.

21 Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon,t 200 silver coins,t and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.t I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”
22 So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achanhad said, with the silver buried beneath the rest.

23 They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the LORD.
24 Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.25 Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.

26 They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Troublet ever since. So the LORD was no longer angry.

JOSHUA 7

Achan Is Punished //for Stealing //from the [Lord]

1 The [Lord] had said that everything in Jericho belonged to him.t But Achant from the Judah tribe took some of the things from Jericho for himself. And so the [Lord] was angry with the Israelites, because one of them had disobeyed him.t

2 While Israel was still camped near Jericho, Joshua sent some spies with these instructions: “Go to the town of Ait and find out whatever you can about the region around the town.”
The spies left and went to Ai, which is east of Bethel and near Beth-Aven.

3 They went back to Joshua and reported, “You don't need to send the whole army to attack Ai—2,000 or 3,000 troops will be enough. Why bother the whole army for a town that small?”

4-5 Joshua sent about 3,000 soldiers to attack Ai. But the men of Ai fought back and chased the Israelite soldiers away from the town gate and down the hill to the stone quarries.t Thirty-six Israelite soldiers were killed, and the Israelite army felt discouraged.
6 Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes and put dirt on their heads to show their sorrow. They lay facedown on the ground in front of the sacred chest until sunset.

7 Then Joshua said:
Our [Lord], did you bring us across the Jordan River just so the Amorites could destroy us? This wouldn't have happened if we had agreed to stay on the other side of the Jordan. 8 I don't even know what to say to you, since Israel's army has turned and run from the enemy.

9 Everyone will think you weren't strong enough to protect your people. Now the Canaanites and everyone else who lives in the land will surround us and wipe us out.

10 The [Lord] answered:
Stop lying there on the ground! Get up! 11 I said everything in Jericho belonged to me and had to be destroyed. But the Israelites have kept some of the things for themselves. They stole from me and hid what they took. Then they lied about it.

12 What they stole was supposed to be destroyed, and now Israel itself must be destroyed. I cannot help you anymore until you do exactly what I have said. That's why Israel turns and runs from its enemies instead of standing up to them.

13 Tell the people of Israel, “Tomorrow you will meet with the [Lord] your God, so make yourselves acceptable to worship him. The [Lord] says that you have taken things that should have been destroyed. You won't be able to stand up to your enemies until you get rid of those things.
14 “Tomorrow morning everyone must gather near the place of worship. You will come forward tribe by tribe, and the [Lord] will show which tribe is guilty. Next, the clans in that tribe must come forward, and the [Lord] will show which clan is guilty. The families in that clan must come, and the [Lord] will point out the guilty family. Finally, the men in that family must come,

15 and the [Lord] will show who stole what should have been destroyed. That man must be put to death, his body burned, and his possessions thrown into the fire. He has done a terrible thing by breaking the sacred agreement that the [Lord] made with Israel.”
16 Joshua got up early the next morning and brought each tribe to the place of worship, where the [Lord] showed that the Judah tribe was guilty. 17 Then Joshua brought the clans of Judah to the [Lord], and the [Lord] showed that the Zerah clan was guilty. One by one he brought the leader of each family in the Zerah clan to the [Lord], and the [Lord] showed that Zabdi's family was guilty.

18 Finally, Joshua brought each man in Zabdi's family to the [Lord], and the [Lord] showed that Achan was the guilty one.

19 “Achan,” Joshua said, “the [Lord] God of Israel has decided that you are guilty. So tell me what you did, and don't try to hide anything.”
20 “It's true,” Achan answered. “I sinned and disobeyed the [Lord] God of Israel.

21-22 While we were in Jericho, I saw a beautiful Babylonian robe, 200 pieces of silver, and a gold bar that weighed the same as 50 pieces of gold. I wanted them for myself, so I took them. I dug a hole under my tent and hid the silver, the gold, and the robe.”
Joshua told some people to run to Achan's tent, where they found the silver, the gold, and the robe. 23 They brought them back and put them in front of the sacred chest, so Joshua and the rest of the Israelites could see them.

24 Then everyone took Achan and the things he had stolen to Trouble Valley.t They also took along his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, and sheep, his tent, and everything else that belonged to him.

25 Joshua said, “Achan, you caused us a lot of trouble. Now the [Lord] is paying you back with the same kind of trouble.”
The people of Israel then stoned to death Achan and his family. They made a fire and burned the bodies, together with what Achan had stolen, and all his possessions.

26 They covered the remains with a big pile of rocks, which is still there. Then the [Lord] stopped being angry with Israel.
That's how the place came to be called Trouble Valley.