1But the sons of Israel committed a betrayal regarding the devoted things, for Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was devoted to destruction. And the anger of Yahweh burned against the sons of Israel.
2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and he said to them, “Go up and scout out the land.” So the men went up and scouted out Ai.
3They returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; let about two thousand or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not weary all the people with going there, for they are few.”
4So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men of them and chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent. And the heart of the people melted and became like water.
6Then Joshua tore his garments and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of Yahweh until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
7And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh! Why did you bring this people across the Jordan at all, only to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan!
8Please, Lord, what can I say now that Israel has turned its back before its enemies?
9When the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land hear of it, they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
10But Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why is it that you are falling on your face?
11Israel has sinned; they have also transgressed my covenant that I commanded them. They have even taken some of the devoted things; they have even stolen, and they have even lied, and they have even put them among their own belongings.
12So the sons of Israel are not able to stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become a thing devoted to destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you destroy the devoted thing from your midst.
13Get up, consecrate the people, and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: There is a devoted thing in your midst, O Israel; you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the devoted thing from your midst.
14In the morning you shall be brought near by your tribes, and it shall be that the tribe that Yahweh takes shall come near by clans, and the clan that Yahweh takes shall come near by households, and the household that Yahweh takes shall come near man by man.
15And it shall be that the one taken with the devoted thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of Yahweh and because he has committed an outrage in Israel.’”
16So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near by its tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17He brought near the clans of Judah, and he took the clan of the Zerahites; and he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18He brought near his household man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory now to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and give him praise. Tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done:
21I saw among the spoil a fine mantle from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and one bar of gold weighing fifty shekels; I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath it.”
22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath it.
23They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before Yahweh.
24Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the bar of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his ox, and his donkey, and his flock, and his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25And Joshua said, “Why have you brought trouble on us? Yahweh will bring trouble on you this day.” Then all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and pelted them with stones.
26And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then Yahweh turned from his burning anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
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