Joshua 7:2-26

2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near 1Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “2Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up 3to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.” 4So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but 4they fled 5from the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them 6from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the 7hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6Then Joshua 8tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and 9they put dust on their heads. 7Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord 10God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing 11to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their 12back before their enemies? 913For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

10So the Lord said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11Israel has sinned, and 14they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. 12Therefore the 15sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their 16backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. 13Rise up! 17Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the Lord, the God of Israel, has said, “18There are things under the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst.” 14In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which 19the Lord takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the Lord takes shall come near by households, and the household which the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 1520It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he 21has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”

16So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by 22tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17He brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18He brought his household near man by man; and 23Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, 24give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.” 20So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and 25this is what I did: 21when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I 26coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”

22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before the Lord. 24Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his 27oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to 28the valley of 29Achor. 25Joshua said, “Why have you 30troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned 31them with stones; and they burned them with fire 32after they had stoned them with stones. 26They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called 33the valley of 34Achor to this day.