Joshua 7:1-15

Israel Is Defeated at Ai

1 ¹But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near ²Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So 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; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few."

4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but ³they fled from the men of Ai.

5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the ⁴hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6 Then Joshua ⁵tore 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 ⁶they put dust on their heads.

7 Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord GOD, 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 to dwell beyond the Jordan!

8 "O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?

9 "⁷For 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?"

10 So the LORD said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?

11 "Israel has sinned, and ⁸they 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.

12 "Therefore the ⁹sons of Israel cannot * stand before their enemies; they turn their backs 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.

13 "Rise up! ¹⁰Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said, "¹¹There 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."

14 'In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which ¹²the 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.

15 '¹³It 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 ¹⁴has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel.' "

Joshua 7:1-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 7

For the trespass of Achan the children of Israel were smitten and put to flight by the men of Ai, Jos 7:1-5; which gave him and the elders of the people great concern, both for Israel and for the name of the Lord, which was expressed by Joshua in prayer to God, Jos 7:6-9; when the Lord informed him of the reason of it, and gave him directions for finding out the guilty person, and for the punishment of him, Jos 7:10-15; which directions Joshua followed, and the person was found out, who being urged to a confession made one, Jos 7:16-21; upon which he and all he had, with the things he had taken, were burnt with fire, Jos 7:22-26.

Cross References

• 1. Joshua 6:17-19
• 2. Joshua 18:12; 1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Samuel 14:23
• 3. Leviticus 26:17; Deuteronomy 28:25
• 4. Leviticus 26:36; Joshua 2:11; Ezekiel 21:7; Nahum 2:10
• 5. Job 2:12
• 6. Job 42:6; Lamentations 2:10; Revelation 18:19
• 7. Exodus 32:12; Deuteronomy 9:28
• 8. Joshua 6:18, 19
• 9. Numbers 14:39, 45; Judges 2:14
• 10. Joshua 3:5
• 11. Joshua 6:18
• 12. Proverbs 16:33
• 13. 1 Samuel 14:38
• 14. Genesis 34:7; Judges 20:6

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "saying, Go"
• [b]. Lit "and smite"
• [c]. Lit "before"
• [d]. Or "before"
• [e]. Heb "YHWH," usually rendered LORD
• [f]. Lit "and had dwelt"
• [g]. Lit "neck"
• [h]. Lit "necks"