Joshua 7

1The sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the ban, for Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah took from the ban, and Yahweh's anger burned against the sons of Israel.

2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, beside Beth-aven on the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” The men went up and scouted Ai.

3They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Don't send all the people up there—just have about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai, and don't weary all the people there, for they are few."

4About three thousand men from the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.

5The men of Ai struck about thirty-six of them, chased them from before the gate to Shebarim, and struck them on the descent; the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown on the ground before the ark of Yahweh until evening—he and the elders of Israel—and they put dust on their heads.

7Joshua said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh, why did you bring this people over the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? Oh that we had been willing and dwelt beyond the Jordan!"

8Oh Lord, what shall I say now that Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!

9The Canaanites and all who dwell in the land will hear, surround us, and blot out our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?

10Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why do you lie like this on your face?"

11Israel has sinned and also violated my covenant that I commanded them; they have also taken from the devoted things, stolen, lied, and put it among their own vessels.

12The Israelites could not stand before their enemies but turned their backs to them, because they had become a devoted thing for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you annihilate the devoted thing from your midst.

13Get up, consecrate the people, and say: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus declares Yahweh, the God of Israel: A devoted thing is in your midst, Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you remove the devoted thing from your midst.

14In the morning you shall come near by your tribes, and the tribe that Yahweh takes shall come near by families; the family that Yahweh takes shall come near by households; and the household that Yahweh takes shall come near man by man.

15Whoever is caught with the devoted thing shall burn in the fire, he and everything he owns, because he violated Yahweh's covenant and committed an outrage in Israel.

16Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and Judah's tribe was taken.

17He had the family of Judah come forward and singled out the Zarchite family. He had the Zarchite family come forward one man at a time, and Zabdi was singled out.

18He brought his household forward one by one, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah of the tribe of Judah was taken.

19Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to Yahweh, God of Israel, and confess to him. Now tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."

20Achan answered Joshua, "Indeed, I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and such and such I have done."

21When I saw among the plunder a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a gold bar weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them; and there they lie hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.

22Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. There it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver beneath it.

23They took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the sons of Israel, and spread them out before Yahweh.

24Joshua and the entire nation of Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the fine robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his flock, his tent, and all that belonged to him to the Valley of Achor.

25Joshua said, "Why did you trouble us? Yahweh will trouble you today." All Israel stoned him with stones, burned them in the fire, and stoned them with stones.

26They raised a great heap of stones over him that remains to this day, and Yahweh turned from the heat of his anger. Therefore that place was called the Valley of Achor to this day.