Joshua 7

1. But the children of Israel committed a sin in the cursed thing, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the thing which was cursed. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

2. And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven on the east side of Bethel. And he spoke to them, saying, “Go up and look over the country.” And the men went up and spied out Ai.

3. And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Let not all the people go up. But let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people labor there, for they are few.”

4. And about three thousand men of the people went up there. And they fled before the men of Ai.

5. And the men of Ai killed about thirty-six men of them, for they chased them from before the gate to Shebarim and attacked them on the road going down. Therefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

6. And Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

7. And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why have You at all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? And, oh that we had been content and lived on the other side of Jordan!

8. O LORD, what shall I say when Israel turns their backs before their enemies?

9. For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear, and shall surround us, and shall cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?”

10. And the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why do you lie upon your face this way?

11. Israel has sinned, and they have also broken My covenant which I commanded them, and have even taken of the cursed things, and have also stolen and pretended falsely. And they have even put it among their own things.

12. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies. They will turn their backs before their enemies because they have become cursed. I will not be with you again unless you destroy the one who is cursed from among you.

13. Up! Sanctify the people and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the LORD God of Israel, “A cursed thing is in the midst of you, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the cursed thing from among you.”

14. And in the morning, you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall be the tribe which the LORD takes shall come, according to its families. And the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households. And the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.

15. And it shall be he who is taken with the cursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all he has because he has broken the covenant of the LORD and because he has done wickedness in Israel.’ ”

16. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes. And the tribe of Judah was taken.

17. And he brought the families of Judah. And he took the family of the Zerahites. And he took the family of the Zerahites man by man. And Zabdi was taken.

18. And he brought his household man by man. And Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

19. And Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I pray you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and make confession to Him. And tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”

20. And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this I have done.

21. When I saw among the spoil a goodly robe of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, I coveted them and took them. And behold, they are hidden in the earth in the middle of my tent, and the silver under it.”

22. And Joshua sent messengers, and they ran into the tent. And behold, it was hidden in his tent, and the silver under it.

23. And they took them out of the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. And they laid them out before the LORD.

24. And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, 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 to the valley of Achor.

25. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD shall trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

26. And they raised over him a great heap of stones to this day. And the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore, the name of that valley is called The Valley of Grief to this day.