Joshua 7 - New International Version (NIV)

Achan’s Sin

7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a];(A) Achan(B) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[b] the son of Zerah,(C) of the tribe of Judah,(D) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned(E) against Israel.(F)

2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,(G) which is near Beth Aven(H) to the east of Bethel,(I) and told them, “Go up and spy out(J) the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai,(K) 5 who killed about thirty-six(L) of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear(M) and became like water.

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes(N) and fell facedown(O) to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening.(P) The elders of Israel(Q) did the same, and sprinkled dust(R) on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why(S) did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?(T) If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth.(U) What then will you do for your own great name?(V)

10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned;(W) they have violated my covenant,(X) which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied,(Y) they have put them with their own possessions.(Z) 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;(AA) they turn their backs(AB) and run(AC) because they have been made liable to destruction.(AD) I will not be with you anymore(AE) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves(AF) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

14 “‘In the morning, present(AG) yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses(AH) shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things(AI) shall be destroyed by fire,(AJ) along with all that belongs to him.(AK) He has violated the covenant(AL) of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”(AM)

16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen.(AN) He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah,(AO) was chosen.(AP)

19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory(AQ) to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell(AR) me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder(AS) a beautiful robe from Babylonia,[c] two hundred shekels[d] of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,[e] I coveted(AT) them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons(AU) and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.(AV) 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble(AW) on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

Then all Israel stoned him,(AX) and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.(AY) 26 Over Achan they heaped(AZ) up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day.(BA) Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger.(BB) Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor[f](BC) ever since.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.
  2. Joshua 7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18.
  3. Joshua 7:21 Hebrew Shinar
  4. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms
  5. Joshua 7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
  6. Joshua 7:26 Achor means trouble.

Cross references

  1. Joshua 7:1 : S Jos 6:18
  2. Joshua 7:1 : ver 26; 1Ch 2:7
  3. Joshua 7:1 : Jos 22:20
  4. Joshua 7:1 : ver 18; Nu 1:4
  5. Joshua 7:1 : S Ex 4:14; S 32:20
  6. Joshua 7:1 : S Lev 10:6
  7. Joshua 7:2 : S Ge 12:8; S Jos 8:1, 28
  8. Joshua 7:2 : Jos 18:12; 1Sa 13:5; 14:23; Hos 4:15; 5:8; 10:5
  9. Joshua 7:2 : Ge 12:8; Jos 12:16; 16:1; Jdg 1:22; 1Sa 30:27; 2Ki 23:15; Jer 48:13; Am 3:14; 4:4; 5:5-6; 7:10, 13
  10. Joshua 7:2 : S Nu 21:32
  11. Joshua 7:4 : S Lev 26:17; S Dt 28:25
  12. Joshua 7:5 : Jos 22:20
  13. Joshua 7:5 : S Ge 42:28; Ps 22:14; Isa 13:7; Eze 21:7; Na 2:10
  14. Joshua 7:6 : S Ge 37:29
  15. Joshua 7:6 : S Ge 17:3; 1Ch 21:16; Eze 9:8
  16. Joshua 7:6 : Jdg 20:23
  17. Joshua 7:6 : Jos 8:10; 9:11; 20:4; 23:2
  18. Joshua 7:6 : 1Sa 4:12; 2Sa 13:19; 15:32; Ne 9:1; Job 2:12; La 2:10; Eze 27:30; Rev 18:19
  19. Joshua 7:7 : 1Sa 4:3
  20. Joshua 7:7 : S Ex 5:22; S Nu 14:16
  21. Joshua 7:9 : Ex 32:12; S Dt 9:28
  22. Joshua 7:9 : Dt 28:58; 1Sa 12:22; Ps 48:10; 106:8; Jer 14:21
  23. Joshua 7:11 : S Ex 9:27; Dt 29:27; Jos 24:16-27; 2Ki 17:7; Hos 10:9
  24. Joshua 7:11 : ver 15; Jos 6:17-19; 23:16; Jdg 2:20; 1Sa 15:24; Ps 78:10
  25. Joshua 7:11 : Ac 5:1-2
  26. Joshua 7:11 : ver 21
  27. Joshua 7:12 : Lev 26:37
  28. Joshua 7:12 : Ps 18:40; 21:12
  29. Joshua 7:12 : S Lev 26:17
  30. Joshua 7:12 : Jos 6:18
  31. Joshua 7:12 : Ps 44:9; 60:10
  32. Joshua 7:13 : S Lev 11:44
  33. Joshua 7:14 : 1Sa 10:19
  34. Joshua 7:14 : Pr 16:33
  35. Joshua 7:15 : Jos 6:18
  36. Joshua 7:15 : Dt 7:25; 2Ki 25:9; 1Ch 14:12; Isa 37:19; Jer 43:12; Eze 30:16
  37. Joshua 7:15 : 1Sa 14:39
  38. Joshua 7:15 : S ver 11
  39. Joshua 7:15 : Ge 34:7
  40. Joshua 7:17 : Nu 26:20
  41. Joshua 7:18 : S ver 1; S Lev 24:11
  42. Joshua 7:18 : Jnh 1:7
  43. Joshua 7:19 : Ex 14:17; 1Sa 6:5; Ps 96:8; Isa 42:12; Jer 13:16; Jn 9:24*
  44. Joshua 7:19 : S Lev 5:5; 1Sa 14:43
  45. Joshua 7:21 : S Ge 34:29; S 49:27
  46. Joshua 7:21 : S Dt 7:25; Eph 5:5; 1Ti 6:10
  47. Joshua 7:24 : S Nu 16:27
  48. Joshua 7:24 : ver 26; Jos 15:7; Isa 65:10; Hos 2:15
  49. Joshua 7:25 : S Jos 6:18
  50. Joshua 7:25 : S Lev 20:2; Dt 17:5; 1Ki 12:18; 2Ch 10:18; 24:21; Ne 9:26
  51. Joshua 7:25 : S Ge 38:24
  52. Joshua 7:26 : 2Sa 18:17
  53. Joshua 7:26 : S Ge 35:20
  54. Joshua 7:26 : S Nu 25:4
  55. Joshua 7:26 : S ver 24

You Might Also Like:

Joshua 7 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

7 And the sons of Israel commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, taketh of the devoted thing, and the anger of Jehovah burneth against the sons of Israel. 2 And Joshua sendeth men from Jericho to Ai, which [is] near Beth-Ave...
Read More

Joshua 7 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

7 Forsooth the sons of Israel brake the commandment, and mis-took of the cursed thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, [the] son of Zerah, of the lineage of Judah, took something of the cursed thing; and the Lord was wroth against the sons of Israel. (But one of the Israelites disobey...
Read More

Joshua 7 - World English Bible (WEB)

7 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 Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, whi...
Read More

Joshua 7 - The Voice (VOICE)

The destruction of the city—and the curse Joshua pronounces—are pretty harsh things. Today, of course, there are rules of war, and the international community would punish this kind of military action. But that wasn’t the situation in Canaan. The Israelites are invaders in the land, badly outnumbere...
Read More

Joshua 7 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Achan’s Trouble7 But Bnei-Yisrael unfaithfully violated the ban. Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the banned things[a]. So Adonai’s anger burned against Bnei-Yisrael. 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, a...
Read More

Joshua 7 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things; for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things; for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment7 But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the Lord burned against the Israelites. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, wh...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment7 But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the Lord burned against the Israelites. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, wh...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment7 But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things, and the anger of the Lord burned against the Israelites.(A)2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Ai Defeats the Israelites7 But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord.[a] A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri[b] son of Zerah, of the tribe of ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New Life Version (NLV)

7 But the people of Israel sinned with the things that were to be destroyed. Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the family of Judah, took some of the things that were to be destroyed. So the Lord was very angry with the people of Israel. 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Defeat at Ai7 But the children of Israel [a]committed a (A)trespass regarding the (B)accursed[b] things, for (C)Achan the son of Carmi, the son of [c]Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. 2 Now Jos...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Achan’s sin7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a]; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[b] the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New International Version (NIV)

Achan’s Sin7 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a];(A) Achan(B) son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,[b] the son of Zerah,(C) of the tribe of Judah,(D) took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned(E) against Israel.(F) 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai,(G) which is ...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Achan Sins Against the Lord7 But the Israelites weren’t faithful to the Lord. They didn’t destroy what had been set apart to him. So they did not do what they had been told to do. Achan had taken some of those things. So the Lord became very angry with Israel. Achan was the son of Karmi. Karmi was t...
Read More

Joshua 7 - New English Translation (NET)

Achan Sins and is Punished7 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches.[a] Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi,[b] son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches.[c] The Lord was furious with the Israelites.[d] 2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is locate...
Read More