1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted things; so the anger of Jehovah burned against the children of Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is next to Beth Aven, to the east of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people toil there, for they are few.
4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 And Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of Jehovah until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they threw dust on their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord Jehovah, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all; to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies?
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?
10 And Jehovah said to Joshua: Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I have commanded them. For they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the sons of Israel were not able to stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they are accursed. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Get up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says Jehovah the God of Israel: There is a devoted thing in your midst, O Israel; you are not able to stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.
14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which Jehovah takes shall come according to families; and the family which Jehovah takes shall come by households; and the household which Jehovah takes shall come man by man.
15 And it 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 covenant of Jehovah, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.
16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17 He brought near the family of Judah, and he took the family of the Zarhites; and he brought near the family of the Zarhites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18 And he brought near his house 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, give glory to Jehovah the God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and please 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 Jehovah the God of Israel, and this is what I have done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful garment from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And behold, they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before Jehovah.
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, 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? Jehovah shall trouble you this day! And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. And Jehovah turned back from His burning anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.