DEFEAT AT AI
Key verse: 10-11a
NIV
Achan’s Sin
7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a];(A) Achan(B) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[b] the son of Zerah,(C) of the tribe of Judah,(D) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned(E) against Israel.(F)
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,(G) which is near Beth Aven(H) to the east of Bethel,(I) and told them, “Go up and spy out(J) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,(K) 5 who killed about thirty-six(L) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear(M) and became like water.
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes(N) and fell facedown(O) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.(P) The elders of Israel(Q) did the same, and sprinkled dust(R) on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why(S) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?(T) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.(U) What then will you do for your own great name?(V)”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned;(W) they have violated my covenant,(X) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,(Y) they have put them with their own possessions.(Z) 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;(AA) they turn their backs(AB) and run(AC) because they have been made liable to destruction.(AD) I will not be with you anymore(AE) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves(AF) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
14 “‘In the morning, present(AG) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses(AH) shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things(AI) shall be destroyed by fire,(AJ) along with all that belongs to him.(AK) He has violated the covenant(AL) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”(AM)
16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.(AN) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,(AO) was chosen.(AP)
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory(AQ) to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell(AR) me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder(AS) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,[c] two hundred shekels[d] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,[e] I coveted(AT) them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.
24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons(AU) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.(AV) 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble(AW) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him,(AX) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.(AY) 26 Over Achan they heaped(AZ) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.(BA) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.(BB) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor[f](BC) ever since.
Footnotes
- Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.
- Joshua 7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18.
- Joshua 7:21 Hebrew Shinar
- Joshua 7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
- Joshua 7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
- Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble.
Cross references
- Joshua 7:1 : S Jos 6:18
- Joshua 7:1 : ver 26; 1Ch 2:7
- Joshua 7:1 : Jos 22:20
- Joshua 7:1 : ver 18; Nu 1:4
- Joshua 7:1 : S Ex 4:14; S 32:20
- Joshua 7:1 : S Lev 10:6
- Joshua 7:2 : S Ge 12:8; S Jos 8:1, 28
- Joshua 7:2 : Jos 18:12; 1Sa 13:5; 14:23; Hos 4:15; 5:8; 10:5
- Joshua 7:2 : Ge 12:8; Jos 12:16; 16:1; Jdg 1:22; 1Sa 30:27; 2Ki 23:15; Jer 48:13; Am 3:14; 4:4; 5:5-6; 7:10, 13
- Joshua 7:2 : S Nu 21:32
- Joshua 7:4 : S Lev 26:17; S Dt 28:25
- Joshua 7:5 : Jos 22:20
- Joshua 7:5 : S Ge 42:28; Ps 22:14; Isa 13:7; Eze 21:7; Na 2:10
- Joshua 7:6 : S Ge 37:29
- Joshua 7:6 : S Ge 17:3; 1Ch 21:16; Eze 9:8
- Joshua 7:6 : Jdg 20:23
- Joshua 7:6 : Jos 8:10; 9:11; 20:4; 23:2
- Joshua 7:6 : 1Sa 4:12; 2Sa 13:19; 15:32; Ne 9:1; Job 2:12; La 2:10; Eze 27:30; Rev 18:19
- Joshua 7:7 : 1Sa 4:3
- Joshua 7:7 : S Ex 5:22; S Nu 14:16
- Joshua 7:9 : Ex 32:12; S Dt 9:28
- Joshua 7:9 : Dt 28:58; 1Sa 12:22; Ps 48:10; 106:8; Jer 14:21
- Joshua 7:11 : S Ex 9:27; Dt 29:27; Jos 24:16-27; 2Ki 17:7; Hos 10:9
- Joshua 7:11 : ver 15; Jos 6:17-19; 23:16; Jdg 2:20; 1Sa 15:24; Ps 78:10
- Joshua 7:11 : Ac 5:1-2
- Joshua 7:11 : ver 21
- Joshua 7:12 : Lev 26:37
- Joshua 7:12 : Ps 18:40; 21:12
- Joshua 7:12 : S Lev 26:17
- Joshua 7:12 : Jos 6:18
- Joshua 7:12 : Ps 44:9; 60:10
- Joshua 7:13 : S Lev 11:44
- Joshua 7:14 : 1Sa 10:19
- Joshua 7:14 : Pr 16:33
- Joshua 7:15 : Jos 6:18
- Joshua 7:15 : Dt 7:25; 2Ki 25:9; 1Ch 14:12; Isa 37:19; Jer 43:12; Eze 30:16
- Joshua 7:15 : 1Sa 14:39
- Joshua 7:15 : S ver 11
- Joshua 7:15 : Ge 34:7
- Joshua 7:17 : Nu 26:20
- Joshua 7:18 : S ver 1; S Lev 24:11
- Joshua 7:18 : Jnh 1:7
- Joshua 7:19 : Ex 14:17; 1Sa 6:5; Ps 96:8; Isa 42:12; Jer 13:16; Jn 9:24*
- Joshua 7:19 : S Lev 5:5; 1Sa 14:43
- Joshua 7:21 : S Ge 34:29; S 49:27
- Joshua 7:21 : S Dt 7:25; Eph 5:5; 1Ti 6:10
- Joshua 7:24 : S Nu 16:27
- Joshua 7:24 : ver 26; Jos 15:7; Isa 65:10; Hos 2:15
- Joshua 7:25 : S Jos 6:18
- Joshua 7:25 : S Lev 20:2; Dt 17:5; 1Ki 12:18; 2Ch 10:18; 24:21; Ne 9:26
- Joshua 7:25 : S Ge 38:24
- Joshua 7:26 : 2Sa 18:17
- Joshua 7:26 : S Ge 35:20
- Joshua 7:26 : S Nu 25:4
- Joshua 7:26 : S ver 24
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
Israel Defeated at Ai
7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for (A)Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near (B)Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And (C)they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people (D)melted and became as water.
6 Then Joshua (E)tore his clothes and (F)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 (G)dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, (H)why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, when 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 (I)cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
The Sin of Achan
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have (J)transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the (K)devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 (L)Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They (M)turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become (N)devoted for destruction.[a] I will be with you no more, unless you destroy (O)the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, (P)‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.” 14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near (Q)by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. 15 (R)And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has (S)transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done (T)an outrageous thing in Israel.’”
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the (U)Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, (V)give glory to the Lord God of Israel and (W)give praise[b] to him. And (X)tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly (Y)I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels,[c] then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. 23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the Lord. 24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the (Z)Valley of Achor. 25 And Joshua said, “Why did you (AA)bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel (AB)stoned him with stones. (AC)They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26 And they raised over him (AD)a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then (AE)the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.[d]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Joshua 7:12 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)
- Joshua 7:19 Or and make confession
- Joshua 7:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
- Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble
Cross references
- Joshua 7:1 : ch. 22:20; [1 Chr. 2:6, 7]
- Joshua 7:2 : ch. 18:12; 1 Sam. 13:5; 14:23; Hos. 4:15; 5:8; 10:5
- Joshua 7:4 : Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25
- Joshua 7:5 : ch. 2:9, 11
- Joshua 7:6 : Gen. 37:29, 34; Num. 14:6; 2 Sam. 1:11; 13:31
- Joshua 7:6 : Num. 14:5
- Joshua 7:6 : 1 Sam. 4:12
- Joshua 7:7 : Ex. 5:22; 2 Kgs. 3:10
- Joshua 7:9 : Ps. 83:4
- Joshua 7:11 : ver. 15
- Joshua 7:11 : ch. 6:17, 18
- Joshua 7:12 : Num. 14:45; Judg. 2:14
- Joshua 7:12 : ver. 8
- Joshua 7:12 : ch. 6:18
- Joshua 7:12 : ver. 11
- Joshua 7:13 : ch. 3:5
- Joshua 7:14 : 1 Sam. 10:19
- Joshua 7:15 : 1 Sam. 14:38, 39
- Joshua 7:15 : ver. 11
- Joshua 7:15 : Gen. 34:7; Judg. 20:6
- Joshua 7:17 : Num. 26:20
- Joshua 7:19 : 1 Sam. 6:5; Jer. 13:16; Mal. 2:2; John 9:24
- Joshua 7:19 : Num. 5:6, 7; 2 Chr. 30:22; Ezra 10:11; Dan. 9:4
- Joshua 7:19 : 1 Sam. 14:43
- Joshua 7:20 : 2 Sam. 12:13
- Joshua 7:24 : ver. 26; ch. 15:7; Isa. 65:10; Hos. 2:15
- Joshua 7:25 : ch. 6:18; 1 Chr. 2:7
- Joshua 7:25 : Lev. 20:2; 24:14
- Joshua 7:25 : ch. 22:20
- Joshua 7:26 : ch. 8:29; 2 Sam. 18:17; [Lam. 3:53]
- Joshua 7:26 : Deut. 13:17
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Defeat and despair (1-9)
They had been warned not to take any plunder from Jericho (6:18). But greed burned in Achan's heart and he took something. The next city to be conquered was the small city of Ai. They thought Ai was a piece of cake, but when they attacked, they were utterly humiliated. They were defeated and chased from the city gates. The people's hearts melted. Joshua fell face down before the Lord. In his heart he thought that God had failed them.
2. Stand up! Israel has sinned (1
-12)
But God had not failed. Israel had been defeated because of a hidden sin. God's covenant had been violated because someone had been greedy. One man had been unfaithful and the nation suffered.
3. The Lord turned from his fierce anger (13-26)
Achan and his act of greed and disobedience was exposed, and he and his family were punished. God's people are defeated if they harbor hidden sin.
Prayer: Lord, cleanse me from hidden sin.
One Word: One man's sin defeats a nation