Joshua 7
7
Achan Sins and is Punished
1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches.#tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].” Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi,#tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18). son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches.#tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].” The Lord was furious with the Israelites.#tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.”sn This incident illustrates well the principle of corporate solidarity and corporate guilt. The sin of one man brought the Lord’s anger down upon the entire nation.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho#map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1. to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel#map For the location of Bethel see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.) and instructed them, “Go up and spy on the land.” So the men went up and spied on Ai. 3 They returned and reported to Joshua,#tn Heb “and they returned to Joshua and said to him.” “Don’t send the whole army.#tn Heb “Don’t let all the people go up.” About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai.#tn Heb “Let about two thousand men or about three thousand men go up to defeat Ai.” Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”#tn Heb “all the people for they are small.”
4 So about three thousand men went up, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures#tn The meaning and correct translation of the Hebrew word שְׁבָרִים (shÿvarim) is uncertain. The translation “fissures” is based on usage of the plural form of the noun in Ps 60:4 HT (60:2 ET), where it appears to refer to cracks in the earth caused by an earthquake. Perhaps deep ravines or gorges are in view, or the word is a proper noun (“all the way to Shebarim”). and defeated them on the steep slope.#sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain. The people’s#tn Or “army’s.” courage melted away like water.#tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.”
6 Joshua tore his clothes;#sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13). he and the leaders#tn Or “elders.” of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening#tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel.” and threw dirt on their heads.#sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30). 7 Joshua prayed,#tn Heb “said.” “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? 8 If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated#tn Heb “turned [the] back.” before its enemies? 9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us#tn Heb “and cut off our name.” from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?”#tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?”
10 The Lord responded#tn Heb “said.” to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down?#tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?” 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment!#tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.” They have taken some of the riches;#tn Heb “what was set apart [to the Lord].” they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.#tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.” 12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.#tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the Lord].” I will no longer be with you,#tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation. unless you destroy what has contaminated you.#tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.” 13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated,#tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] [is] in your midst.” O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.”#tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.” 14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order.#tn Heb “by your tribes.” The tribe the Lord selects#tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.” must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families.#tn Heb “houses.” The family the Lord selects must approach man by man.#tn Heb “by men.” 15 The one caught with the riches#tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the Lord].” must be burned up#tn Heb “burned with fire.” along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
16 Bright and early the next morning Joshua made Israel approach in tribal order#tn Heb “by tribes.” and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17 He then made the clans of Judah approach and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He made the clan of the Zerahites approach and Zabdi#tn See the note on “Zabdi” in 1 Chr 7:1. was selected.#tn Heb “and he selected Zabdi.” The Lord is the apparent subject. The LXX supports reading a passive (Niphal) form here, as does the immediate context. 18 He then made Zabdi’s#tn Heb “his”; the referent (Zabdi) has been specified in the translation for clarity. family approach man by man#tn Heb “by men.” and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected. 19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor#tn Heb “give glory to.” the Lord God of Israel and give him praise! Tell me what you did; don’t hide anything from me!” 20 Achan told Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel in this way:#tn Heb “like this and like this I did.” 21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon,#tn Heb “Shinar,” a reference to Babylon (cf. Gen 10:10; 11:2; 14:1). Many modern translations retain the Hebrew name “Shinar” (cf. NEB, NRSV) but some use the more familiar “Babylon” (cf. NIV, NLT). two hundred silver pieces,#tn Heb “shekels.” and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground right in the middle of my tent with the silver underneath.”
22 Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent. The things were hidden right in his tent, with the silver underneath.#tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.” 23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed#tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container. it before the Lord. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster.#tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26). 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster#tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause). on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.)#tc Heb “and they burned them with fire and they stoned them with stones.” These words are somewhat parenthetical in nature and are omitted in the LXX; they may represent a later scribal addition. 26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day#tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.
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Joshua 7
7
1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore the LORD’s anger burned against the children of Israel. 2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.”
The men went up and spied out Ai. 3They returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.” 4So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them. They chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water. 6Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the LORD’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. 7Joshua said, “Alas, Lord GOD, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan! 8Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies? 9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that? 11Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff. 12Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for the LORD, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.” 14In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects shall come near by families. The family which the LORD selects shall come near by households. The household which the LORD selects shall come near man by man. 15It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the LORD’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected. 17He brought near the family of Judah, and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected. 18He brought near 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 selected. 19Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!”
20 Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done. 21When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels#7:21 A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces. of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it. 23They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before the LORD. 24Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor. 25Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. 26They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. The LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.
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