Joshua 7 (NET)

Achan Sins and is Punished

1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches.1 Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi,2 son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches.3 The Lord was furious with the Israelites.4

2 Joshua sent men from Jericho5 to Ai (which is located near Beth Aven, east of Bethel6) 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,7 “Don’t send the whole army.8 About two or three thousand men are adequate to defeat Ai.9 Don’t tire out the whole army, for Ai is small.”10

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 fissures11 and defeated them on the steep slope.12 The people’s13 courage melted away like water.14

6 Joshua tore his clothes;15 he and the leaders16 of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening17 and threw dirt on their heads.18 7 Joshua prayed,19 “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 retreated20 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 us21 from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?”22

10 The Lord responded23 to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down?24 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment!25 They have taken some of the riches;26 they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions.27 12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation.28 I will no longer be with you,29 unless you destroy what has contaminated you.30 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,31 O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.”32 14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order.33 The tribe the Lord selects34 must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families.35 The family the Lord selects must approach man by man.36 15 The one caught with the riches37 must be burned up38 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 order39 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 Zabdi40 was selected.41 18 He then made Zabdi’s42 family approach man by man43 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, honor44 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:45 21 I saw among the goods we seized a nice robe from Babylon,46 two hundred silver pieces,47 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.48 23 They took it all from the middle of the tent, brought it to Joshua and all the Israelites, and placed49 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.50 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought disaster51 on us? The Lord will bring disaster on you today!” All Israel stoned him to death. (They also stoned and burned the others.)52 26 Then they erected over him a large pile of stones (it remains to this very day53) and the Lord’s anger subsided. So that place is called the Valley of Disaster to this very day.

17:1tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].” 27:1tn 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). 37:1tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].” 47:1tn 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. 57:2map For location see Map5-B2; Map6-E1; Map7-E1; Map8-E3; Map10-A2; Map11-A1. 67:2map For the location of Bethel see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3. 77:3tn Heb “and they returned to Joshua and said to him.” 87:3tn Heb “Don’t let all the people go up.” 97:3tn Heb “Let about two thousand men or about three thousand men go up to defeat Ai.” 107:3tn Heb “all the people for they are small.” 117:5tn 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”). 127:5sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain. 137:5tn Or “army’s.” 147:5tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.” 157:6sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13). 167:6tn Or “elders.” 177:6tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel.” 187:6sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30). 197:7tn Heb “said.” 207:8tn Heb “turned [the] back.” 217:9tn Heb “and cut off our name.” 227:9tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?” 237:10tn Heb “said.” 247:10tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?” 257:11tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.” 267:11tn Heb “what was set apart [to the Lord].” 277:11tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.” 287:12tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the Lord].” 297:12tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation. 307:12tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.” 317:13tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the Lord] [is] in your midst.” 327:13tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the Lord] from your midst.” 337:14tn Heb “by your tribes.” 347:14tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.” 357:14tn Heb “houses.” 367:14tn Heb “by men.” 377:15tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the Lord].” 387:15tn Heb “burned with fire.” 397:16tn Heb “by tribes.” 407:17tn See the note on “Zabdi” in 1 Chr 7:1. 417:17tn 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. 427:18tn Heb “his”; the referent (Zabdi) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 437:18tn Heb “by men.” 447:19tn Heb “give glory to.” 457:20tn Heb “like this and like this I did.” 467:21tn 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). 477:21tn Heb “shekels.” 487:22tn Heb “Look, [it was] hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it.” 497:23tn Heb “poured out,” probably referring to the way the silver pieces poured out of their container. 507:24tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26). 517:25tn Or “trouble.” The word is “achor” in Hebrew (also in the following clause). 527:25tc 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. 537:26tc Heb “to this day.” The phrase “to this day” is omitted in the LXX and may represent a later scribal addition.