Joshua 7
7
1However, the Israelites had not been faithful regarding those things set apart for the Lord. Achan had taken some of them which made the Lord very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah. 2Joshua sent men from the camp near#7:2. “The camp near”: implied. These were obviously not men from Jericho itself. Jericho to the town of Ai, which is near Bethaven, east of Bethel. “Go and explore the land,” he told them. So they went and explored around Ai. 3When they returned they told Joshua, “The whole army isn't needed. Two or three thousand men is enough to go and attack Ai. Don't bother sending everyone—there's only a few of them.” 4So around three thousand men went to fight, but they were beaten by the men of Ai and they ran away. 5The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing the Israelites from the town gate until they were defeated,#7:5. “Until they were defeated”: or, “to the quarries.” killing them on their way down. At this the Israelites became afraid, losing all their courage.
6Joshua ripped his clothes#7:6. A symbol of grief. and fell down with his face to the ground in front of the Ark of the Lord until the evening. The elders did likewise, and he and the elders threw dust on their heads. 7Joshua cried, “Why, oh why, Lord God, did you bring us across the Jordan River only to hand us over to the Amorites for them to destroy us? We should have been satisfied to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8Excuse me, Lord, but what can I say now that Israel has turned tail and run away from its enemies? 9The Canaanites and everyone living in the land will come and surround us and wipe us out so completely that even our name will be forgotten. Then what will happen to your great reputation?”
10But the Lord replied to Joshua, “Stand up! What do you think you're doing lying on your face like that? 11Israel has sinned and has broken#7:11. Literally, “transgressed,” in the sense of going outside of what was promised. The actual word means to pass over, or to cross, and is exactly the same word that Joshua uses when he asks why the Lord brought them across the Jordan. So in a modern language parallel Joshua asks why the Lord bothered to help the Israelites to “cross” the river, and the Lord replies that they have “crossed” (or even “double-crossed”) him. my agreement that I ordered them to keep. They have taken some of the things set apart for me; they have acted dishonestly; they have hidden the stolen items with their own belongings. 12That's why the Israelites can't stand up to their enemies. That's why they turn and run from their enemies, and have themselves become set apart for destruction.#7:12. They became liable to be destroyed because they had taken things which were to be destroyed. See 6:18. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you have removed from among you those things set apart for destruction. 13Get up, and make sure the people are pure. Tell them, ‘Make yourselves pure in readiness for tomorrow, because this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, There are things set apart for me that are hidden among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove all of them. 14In the morning, you will come forward, tribe by tribe. Whichever tribe the Lord chooses#7:14. It appears that the decision was made by casting lots. will come forward clan by clan. The clan that the Lord chooses will come forward family by family. The family that the Lord chooses will come forward man by man. 15The one who is caught with what was set apart for destruction will be burned by fire,#7:15. This does not mean the culprit would be burned alive, as is clear from subsequent verses. along with all that is his, for he broke the Lord's agreement and committed a terrible act in Israel.’”
16Joshua got up early the next morning and called Israel forward, tribe by tribe. 17The tribe of Judah was chosen. The clans of Judah came forward and the Zerahites were chosen. The clan of Zerahites came forward, and the family of Zabdi#7:17. “The family of Zabdi” (some Hebrew manuscripts). Others jump right to the individual chosen, and identify Zimri, though the following verse makes this problematic. was chosen. 18The family of Zabdi came forward, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
19Joshua said to Achan, “My son, honor the Lord, the God of Israel, and confess. Tell me what you have done. Don't hide it from me.”
20“It's true!” Achan replied. “I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I did. 21Among the plunder I saw a beautiful cloak from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels.#7:21. Around five pounds of silver, and over a pound of gold. I really wanted them, so I took them. They're hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver buried deeper.” 22Joshua sent men who ran over to search the tent. They found what had been hidden, with the silver buried deeper. 23The men took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. There they spread them out before the Lord.
24Then Joshua, with all the Israelites, took Achan, the son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, together with his sons and daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, and his tent—everything he had—and brought them to the Valley of Achor.#7:24. Meaning “the Valley of Trouble.” 25Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why did you bring so much trouble down on us? Today the Lord will bring trouble down on you.” All the Israelites stoned Achan. Then when they had stoned the rest they burned their bodies. 26They set up a great pile of stones over him which remains to this day. The Lord was no longer angry. This is why the place was called the Valley of Achor ever since.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Joshua 7
7
Defeat at Ai
1The Israelites, however, were unfaithful#Lv 6:2; Nm 5:27; 31:16; Dt 32:51; Jos 22:16; Ezr 9:2–4 regarding the things set apart for destruction. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and the Lord’s anger burned against the Israelites.
2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven,#Jos 18:12; 1Sm 13:5; 14:23 east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the men went up and scouted Ai.
3After returning to Joshua they reported to him, “Don’t send all the people, but send about two thousand or three thousand#7:3 Or send two or three military units of men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.” 4So about three thousand men#7:4 Lit men from the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.#Lv 26:17; Dt 28:25 5The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them and chased them from outside the city gate to the quarries,#7:5 Or to Shebarim striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people lost heart.#7:5 Lit people’s hearts melted and became like water#Dt 20:8; Jos 2:11; 5:1; 2Sm 17:10; Ps 22:14; Is 13:7; 19:1; Ezk 21:7
6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening,#Jb 1:20 as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads.#Neh 9:1; Lm 2:10; Ezk 27:30; Rv 18:19 7“Oh, Lord God,” Joshua said, “why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! 8What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? 9When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.#Ru 4:10; 1Sm 24:9; Ps 109:13; Is 24:19; 56:5; Jr 11:19 Then what will you do about your great name?” #1Kg 8:42
10The Lord then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen facedown? 11Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings.#Jos 6:18 12This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction.#Nm 14:45; Jdg 2:14 I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart.
13“Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves for tomorrow,#Jos 3:5 for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are things that are set apart among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart. 14In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan the Lord selects is to come forward family by family. The family the Lord selects is to come forward man by man. 15The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated the Lord’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel.”#Gn 34:7; Dt 22:21; Jdg 19:23–24; 20:6
Achan Judged
16Joshua got up early the next morning. He had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. 17He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families,#7:17 Lit forward man by man and Zabdi was selected. 18He then had Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel,#1Sm 6:5; 2Ch 30:22; Jr 13:16; Jn 9:24 and make a confession to him.#7:19 Or and praise him I urge you, tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me.”
20Achan replied to Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel.#Jos 22:20 This is what I did: 21When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon,#7:21 Lit Shinar five pounds#7:21 Lit 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing a pound and a quarter,#7:21 Lit 50 shekels I coveted them and took them.#Gn 3:6; 2Sm 12:2–4; 1Jn 2:16 You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the silver under the cloak.” 22So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in the Lord’s presence.
24Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.#Jos 15:7 25Joshua said, “Why have you brought us trouble?#Jos 6:18; 1Ch 2:7 Today the Lord will bring you trouble!” So all Israel stoned them#7:25 Lit him to death. They burned their bodies, threw stones on them, 26and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains still today.#Jos 6:25; 8:28–29; 10:27; 13:13 Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor#7:26 Or of Trouble still today.
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