1
But the sons of Israelactedunfaithfully in regard to the thingsunder the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, tooksome of the thingsunder the ban, therefore the anger of the LORDburned against the sons of Israel.
2
Now Joshuasentmen from Jericho to Ai, which is nearBeth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the menwent up and spied out Ai.
3
They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the peoplego up; only about two orthreethousandmen need go up to Ai; do not make all the peopletoil up there, for they are few."
5
The men of Aistruckdown 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 hearts of the peoplemelted and became as water.
6
Then Joshuatore his clothes and fell to the earth on his facebefore the ark of the LORDuntil the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and they putdust on their heads.
7
Joshuasaid, "Alas, O LordGOD, why did You everbringthispeopleover the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Ifonly we had been willing to dwellbeyond the Jordan!
9
"For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cutoff our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your greatname?"
11
"Israel has sinned, and they have alsotransgressed My covenantwhich I commanded them. And they have eventakensome of the thingsunder the ban and have bothstolen and deceived. Moreover, they have alsoput them among their own things.
12
"Therefore the sons of Israelcannot*standbefore their enemies; they turn their backsbefore their enemies, for they have becomeaccursed. I will not be with you anymoreunless* you destroy the thingsunder the ban from your midst.
13
"Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus the LORD, the God of Israel, has said, "There are thingsunder the ban in your midst, O Israel. You cannot*standbefore your enemiesuntil you have removed the thingsunder the ban from your midst."
14
'In the morning then you shall comenear by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribewhich the LORDtakes by lot shall comenear by families, and the familywhich the LORDtakes shall comenear by households, and the householdwhich the LORDtakes shall comenearman by man.
15
'It shall be that the one who is taken with the thingsunder 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 has committed a disgracefulthing in Israel.' "
17
He brought the family of Judahnear, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahitesnearman by man, and Zabdi was taken.
19
Then Joshuasaid to Achan, "My son, I implore you, giveglory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and givepraise to Him; and tell me nowwhat you have done. Do not hide it from me."
21
when I saw among the spoil a beautifulmantle from Shinar and two hundredshekels of silver and a bar of goldfiftyshekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earthinside my tent with the silverunderneath it."
24
Then Joshua and allIsrael with him, tookAchan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25
Joshuasaid, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you thisday." And allIsraelstoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26
They raisedover him a greatheap of stones that stands to thisday, and the LORDturned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore* the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to thisday.