Joshua 7: Achan takes from the devoted things, and Israel is beaten at Ai
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What happens?
Achan of the tribe of Judah takes some of the things from Jericho that were devoted to Yahweh, and Yahweh's anger burns against Israel. A small army goes up against Ai and runs from it, and about thirty-six men are killed. Yahweh tells Joshua that Israel has sinned, and the guilty man is picked out tribe by tribe, clan by clan and man by man. Achan confesses that he took a robe, silver and a bar of gold. He is brought to the Valley of Achor with those things, his sons and daughters, his animals and his tent. All Israel stones him, they burn them with fire and stone them, and they raise a heap of stones over him.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 6 of the 26 verses: Yahweh's answer to Joshua in verses 10 to 15. In verse 13 Yahweh tells Joshua what to say to the people. Joshua sends the spies in verse 2, and they report back in verse 3. Joshua cries out to Yahweh in verses 7 to 9, and speaks to Achan in verses 19 and 25. Achan confesses in verses 20 and 21. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1But 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.
In plain English: But the Israelites were unfaithful (this Bible: committed a trespass) about the devoted things. Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. So Yahweh's anger burned against the Israelites.
The Hebrew words: "Committed a trespass" is literally "were unfaithful with unfaithfulness": the word ma'al twice. The dictionary gives it as "properly, to cover up; used only figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. treacherously". "The devoted things" is cherem, the word explained in the note on .
Good to know: At Jericho the city and all that was in it were to be devoted to Yahweh (), and the silver and gold were to go into Yahweh's treasury (). warned that taking any of it would make the camp of Israel "accursed" and "trouble it". This verse says the Israelites were unfaithful, and then names the man who took the things.
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2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, “Go up and spy out the land.” The men went up and spied out Ai.
In plain English: Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He told them, "Go up and spy out the land." So the men went up and spied out Ai.
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3They returned to Joshua, and said to him, “Don’t let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Don’t make all the people to toil there, for there are only a few of them.”
In plain English: They came back to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up and strike Ai. Do not make all the people wear themselves out going there, because the people of Ai are few."
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4So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they fled before the men of Ai.
In plain English: So about three thousand men of the people went up there, and they ran away from the men of Ai.
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5The men of Ai struck about thirty-six men of them. They chased them from before the gate even to Shebarim, and struck them at the descent. The hearts of the people melted, and became like water.
In plain English: The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them. They chased them from the city gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the way down the slope. The people's hearts melted and became like water.
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6Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before Yahweh’s ark until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
In plain English: Joshua tore his clothes and fell face down on the ground before Yahweh's ark until evening, he and the elders of Israel. They put dust on their heads.
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7Joshua said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!
In plain English: Joshua said, "Oh, Lord Yahweh, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan, only to hand us over to the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content (or: willing) to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
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8Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned their backs before their enemies?
In plain English: Please, Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back (literally: its neck) and run from its enemies?
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9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and will surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. What will you do for your great name?”
In plain English: The Canaanites and everyone who lives in the land will hear of it. They will surround us and wipe our name off the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?"
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10Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?
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11Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.God speaks
In plain English: Israel has sinned. They have even broken my covenant that I commanded them. They have even taken some of the devoted things. They have stolen, they have lied (this Bible: deceived), and they have even put them among their own belongings.
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12Therefore the children of Israel can’t stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.God speaks
In plain English: That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They turn their backs (literally: their necks) and run from their enemies, because they themselves have become a thing devoted to destruction. I will not be with you any more unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
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13Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, “There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you.”God speaks
In plain English: Get up! Make the people holy (this Bible: sanctify the people). Tell them, 'Make yourselves holy for tomorrow, because this is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: "There is a devoted thing among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove the devoted thing from among you."
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14In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which Yahweh selects shall come near by families. The family which Yahweh selects shall come near by households. The household which Yahweh selects shall come near man by man.God speaks
In plain English: In the morning you are to come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe Yahweh picks (this Bible: selects) is to come forward clan by clan (this Bible: by families). The clan Yahweh picks is to come forward household by household. The household Yahweh picks is to come forward man by man.
The Hebrew word: "Selects" is lakad, which the dictionary gives as "to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by lot)".
How it is translated: In Joshua this Bible says "took" in 12 of the 21 verses that use lakad, mostly of taking a city, and "selects" or "selected" in 4, all in this chapter (verses 14, 16, 17 and 18).
Good to know: The text does not say how Yahweh picked the tribe, the clan, the household and the man. The dictionary's "to choose (by lot)" points to a lot. Saul is picked out in the same way, tribe by tribe and clan by clan, in and , and in the same word follows "Cast lots".
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15It 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 Yahweh’s covenant, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”God speaks
In plain English: The one who is picked with the devoted thing is to be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has broken Yahweh's covenant and has done a shameful thing (this Bible: a disgraceful thing) in Israel.'"
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16So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
In plain English: So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought Israel forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was picked.
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17He brought near the family of Judah, and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected.
In plain English: He brought forward the clan (this Bible: family) of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was picked (literally: he took the clan of the Zerahites). He brought forward the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was picked.
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18He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
In plain English: He brought forward his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was picked.
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19Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don’t hide it from me!”
In plain English: Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him (or: give him praise). Tell me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me."
The Hebrew word: "Confession" is todah, which the dictionary gives as "properly, an extension of the hand, i.e. (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration".
How it is translated: This Bible says "thanksgiving" or a longer form in 20 of the 30 verses that use todah, and "confession" in only 2: here and .
What changes: Read as "make confession to him", Joshua asks Achan to own up before Yahweh. Read as "give him praise", it says again what "give glory to Yahweh" says. Either way, Joshua goes on: "Tell me now what you have done."
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20Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
In plain English: Achan answered Joshua, "It is true. I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel. This is what I did (literally: like this and like this I have done):
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21When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
In plain English: Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon (literally: a robe of Shinar), two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold (this Bible: a wedge; literally: a tongue of gold) weighing fifty shekels. I wanted them for myself (this Bible: coveted them) and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
The Hebrew words: "A Babylonian robe" is literally "a robe of Shinar". The dictionary gives Shinar as "a plain in Babylonia", the land where the tower of Babel was built ( to ). "A wedge of gold" is literally "a tongue of gold": the word lashon, which the dictionary gives as "the tongue", and, used figuratively, "an ingot".
How it is translated: This Bible says "tongue" or a longer form in 90 of the 115 verses that use lashon, and "wedge" in only 2: here and verse 24.
What changes: Read as "a tongue of gold", it may be a bar of gold shaped like a tongue. Read as "an ingot", it is simply a bar of gold. The text gives only its weight, fifty shekels.
Good to know: "I coveted them" is the word chamad, the word of the last of the Ten Commandments, "You shall not covet" ().
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22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. Behold, it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
In plain English: So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent. There it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.
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23They took them from the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel. They laid them down before Yahweh.
In plain English: They took the things out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the Israelites, and they laid them out (literally: poured them out) before Yahweh.
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24Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
In plain English: Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen (this Bible: cattle), his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
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25Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today.” All Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
In plain English: Joshua said, "Why have you brought trouble on us? Yahweh will bring trouble on you today." All Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
Good to know: In verse 15 Yahweh said the one who was picked was to be burned "he and all that he has". Verse 24 names Achan's sons and daughters with his animals, his tent and his goods, and verse 25 says "they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones". The text does not say more about his sons and daughters. Many readers take "them" to include them. Others point to , "neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers", and read "them" as his goods and animals. later says of Achan, "That man didn't perish alone in his iniquity." This is the law of that time as the text records it, and Jewish and Christian readers differ on how to read it now.
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26They raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called “The valley of Achor” to this day.
In plain English: They piled a great heap of stones over him, which is there to this day. Then Yahweh turned from his burning anger. That is why that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
The Hebrew word: The text itself explains the name. Achor sounds like akar, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to roil water; figuratively, to disturb": the word for "troubled" and "trouble" in verse 25, and for "trouble" in .
Good to know: calls him "Achar, the troubler of Israel". Later prophets speak of the same valley with hope: calls it "a door of hope", and "a place for herds to lie down in".
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