B.
The destruction of Ai
7:1—8:35
1.
The defeat at Ai
7:1-26
Josh. 7
:1
7:1
But the children of Israel acted unfaithfully in that which was devoted to
to destruction, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of that which was
adevoted to
to destruction; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.
Josh. 7
:2
7:2
Joshua sent men from Jericho to
aAi, which is beside Beth-aven, east of Bethel; and he spoke to them, saying, Go up and
1bspy out the land. So the men went up and spied out Ai.
Josh. 7
:3
7:3
And they returned to Joshua and said to him,
1Not all the people need go up; let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people labor there, for
2the enemies are few.
Josh. 7
:4
7:4
So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they
1afled before the men of Ai.
Josh. 7
:5
7:5
And the men of Ai struck some of them, about thirty-six men; and they pursued them from before the gate unto Shebarim and struck them on the slope. And the heart of the people
amelted and became like water.
Josh. 7
:6
7:6
And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the ground upon his face
abefore the Ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads.
Josh. 7
:7
7:7
And Joshua said, Ah, Lord Jehovah! Why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all? To give us over into the hand of the Amorites and cause us to perish? If only we had been content to dwell across the Jordan!
Josh. 7
:8
7:8
O Lord, what can I say after Israel has turned
its back before its enemies?
Josh. 7
:9
7:9
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear
of it, and they will surround us and cut off our
aname from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?
Josh. 7
:10
7:10
Then Jehovah said to Joshua, Rise up! Why have you fallen upon your face?
Josh. 7
:11
7:11
1Israel has sinned. Indeed they have trespassed My covenant, which I commanded them; indeed they have taken of that which was
adevoted to destruction; indeed they have stolen; indeed they have been deceptive; indeed they have put
it among their goods.
Josh. 7
:12
7:12
Thus the children of Israel are not able to
astand before their enemies; they turn
their backs before their enemies, for they have become something devoted to
to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy that which was devoted
to destruction from among you.
Josh. 7
:13
7:13
Rise up,
asanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, There is something devoted
to destruction among you, O Israel; you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove that which was devoted
to destruction from among you.
Josh. 7
:14
7:14
Therefore in the morning you shall be brought
anear by your tribes; and the tribe which Jehovah takes shall draw near family by family; and the family which Jehovah takes shall draw near house by house; and the house which Jehovah takes shall draw near warrior by warrior.
Josh. 7
:15
7:15
And he who is taken with that which was devoted
to destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has trespassed the covenant of Jehovah and because he has committed folly in Israel.
Josh. 7
:16
7:16
So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was
1taken.
Josh. 7
:17
7:17
And he brought the family of Judah near, and the family of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought the family of the Zerahites near warrior by warrior, and Zabdi was taken.
Josh. 7
:18
7:18
And he brought the house of Zabdi near warrior by warrior, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Josh. 7
:19
7:19
And Joshua said to Achan, My son,
agive glory to Jehovah the God of Israel, and
1make confession to Him. And tell me what you have done; do not hide
anything from me.
Josh. 7
:20
7:20
Then Achan answered Joshua and said, It is true; I have sinned against Jehovah the God of Israel; and this is what I did:
Josh. 7
:21
7:21
When I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle of
1aShinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And now they are hidden in the earth in my tent, with the silver under it.
Josh. 7
:22
7:22
And Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. And there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
Josh. 7
:23
7:23
And they took
1the things from within the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and spread them out before Jehovah.
Josh. 7
:24
7:24
Then Joshua and all Israel with him took
aAchan the son of Zerah and the silver and the mantle and the wedge of gold, and his sons and his daughters and his oxen and his donkeys and his sheep and his tent and all that he had; and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
Josh. 7
:25
7:25
And Joshua said, Why have you
atroubled us? Jehovah will trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him with
bstones; and they burned them with fire when they had stoned them with stones.
Josh. 7
:26
7:26
Then they erected over him a great heap of stones,
which is there to this day; and Jehovah
aturned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place is called the Valley of
1Achor to this day.
