Israel Defeated at Ai
1 But the Israelites were disobedient in the things set apart by the Lord for destruction. Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and therefore the Lord’s anger burned against the Israelites.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.”
The men went up and spied out Ai. 3 They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about 2,000 or 3,000 men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people toil there, for there are only a few of them.” 4 So about 3,000 men from among their people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai struck about 36 of their men. They chased them from before the gate all the way to Shebarim and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted in fear like water.
6 Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads. 7 Joshua said, “Alas, Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan! 8 Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies? 9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that? 11 Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own things. 12 Therefore the Israelites cannot stand before their enemies. They will turn their backs running from their enemies, because they have become set apart for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the things set apart for destruction from among you.
13 Get up! Sanctify the people and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for the Lord, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.”
14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought up tribe by tribe. It shall be that the tribe which the Lord selects shall come forward by family. The family which the Lord selects shall come forward by household. The household which the Lord selects shall come forward man by man. 15 It shall be, that he who is found with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the Lord’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’ ”
The Sin of Achan
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel forward tribe by tribe. The tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He brought the family of Judah forward, and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought the family of the Zerahites forward, man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18 He brought his household forward man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Do not hide it from me!”
20 Achan answered Joshua and said, “I have truly sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done. 21 When I saw among the plunder, a beautiful Babylonian robe, 200 silver pieces, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. It was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23 They took them from the middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the Israelites. They laid them down before the Lord.
24 Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.” All Israel stoned him with rocks, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with rocks. 26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.