The Defeat at Ai 1 UDB Yahweh had commanded that all the things that they had captured in Jericho should be destroyed to show that they belonged to him. But there was a man from the tribe of Judah named Achan. He was a son of Karmi, a grandson of Zabdi, and a great-grandson of Zerah. He disobeyed what Yahweh had commanded and took for himself some of those things. So Yahweh became very angry with the Israelites. BSB BSB: The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.
2 UDB Now Joshua told some of his men to go from Jericho to the city of Ai, which was east of Bethel and near Beth Aven. He said to them, "Go to Ai and scout the area." So the men went up and they scouted the town. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 UDB When they returned to Joshua they said, "There are only a few people in Ai. So just send two or three thousand to attack them. There is no need to make all our soldiers go." BSB BSB: On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”
4 UDB So about three thousand Israelite men went to attack Ai. But they did not defeat them. Instead, they had to run for their lives. BSB BSB: So about three thousand men went up, but they fled before the men of Ai.
5 UDB The enemy killed about thirty-six Israelites and chased the rest from the city gate to the bottom of the hill and then to a place where people had cut stone out from a hill. When the people of Israel saw this, they were very afraid and lost all their courage. BSB BSB: And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
6 UDB Joshua tore his clothes to show that he was sad. He and the leaders of Israel threw themselves on the ground because they were so sad and angry. They lay there until dark in front of Yahweh's sacred chest. BSB BSB: Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
7 UDB Then Joshua prayed and said, "Yahweh Lord, you brought us Israelites safely across the Jordan River. So why are you now allowing the Amorites to destroy us? We should have made a different decision; we should have stayed on the other side of the Jordan River! BSB BSB: “O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
8 UDB O Lord, I have no more words to say to you. Israel has run away in defeat. We have turned our backs in shame as we ran away from our enemies. I do not know what to say. BSB BSB: O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?
9 UDB The Canaanites and all the other people who are living in this land will hear about this. Then they will surround us and kill all of us! Then what will you do to defend your honor?" BSB BSB: When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
10 UDB But Yahweh said to Joshua, "Stand up! Stop lying there with your face in the dirt! BSB BSB: But the LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face?
11 UDB Israel has sinned. They have disobeyed the commands that I told them to obey. They have lied, they have stolen, and they have taken what they stole and put them in with their own possessions, in order to hide it. BSB BSB: Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these things with their own possessions.
12 UDB That is why the people of Israel have been unable to defeat their enemies. That is why they have run away, and now you yourselves will be destroyed. If you do not do as I commanded you and destroy everything that you took from Jericho, I will not help you anymore! BSB BSB: This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.
13 UDB Now go and tell the people that tomorrow they must set themselves apart and prepare to honor Yahweh. "You have kept for yourselves the things that I told you to destroy, that should have been given to me," says Yahweh, the God of Israel. "You will never defeat your enemies until you get rid of those things you took from Jericho that you have hidden with your possessions." BSB BSB: Get up and consecrate the people, saying, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things devoted to destruction. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
14 UDB Tomorrow morning you must present yourselves before me, tribe by tribe. Then the tribe that I select by lot will come before me by each of their families. The family that I select by lot will come near by each of their households. The household that I select by lot will come before me each one, one at a time. BSB BSB: In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.
15 UDB Then the one who has taken some of the things that should have been given to me—he will be destroyed in a fire. He and everything he owns will be burned because he has disobeyed the promise and agreement that Yahweh made with us, and he has committed a disgraceful sin among the people of Israel." BSB BSB: The one who is caught with the things devoted to destruction must be burned, along with all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the LORD and committed an outrage in Israel.’”
The Sin of Achan 16 UDB Early the next morning, Joshua told all the Israelite people to come near to the place of worship, tribe by tribe. When they did that, Yahweh indicated that a man from the tribe of Judah was the one selected. BSB BSB: So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17 UDB Then the clans of Judah presented themselves, and Yahweh selected the clan of Zerah. Then the families of Zerah's clan presented themselves, and Yahweh indicated that he was selecting someone from the family of Zabdi. BSB BSB: He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected.
18 UDB Then Joshua told the men from that family to present each member of their family, one at a time, so that the guilty person may be selected. And Yahweh indicated that Achan was the guilty man and he was taken out of the people of Judah. Achan was the son of Carmi, Carmi was the son of Zabdi, and Zabdi was the son of Zerah. BSB BSB: And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 UDB Then Joshua said to Achan, "Son, make your confession to Yahweh, the God of Israel. Tell me what you did, and do not try to hide it from me." BSB BSB: So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
21 UDB Among the things in Jericho that I saw was a beautiful coat from Babylonia. I also saw over two kilograms of silver and some gold that weighed six hundred grams. I wanted those things very much for myself, so I took them. I buried them in the ground under my tent. You will find them there. The silver is buried beneath it all." BSB BSB: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22 UDB So Joshua sent some men to find those things. They ran to Achan's tent and found all the things hidden there. BSB BSB: So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it all was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.
23 UDB The men brought them all out of the tent and took them to Joshua and the rest of Israel. Then they laid them out, like an offering to Yahweh. BSB BSB: They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the LORD.
24 UDB Then Joshua and the rest of the people led Achan down to a valley. They also brought the silver, the coat, the gold, Achan's wife and sons and daughters, his cattle and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else that he owned. BSB BSB: Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25 UDB Joshua said, "I do not know why you caused so much trouble for us, but now Yahweh will bring trouble to you." Then all the people threw stones at Achan so that he died, and they burned them all with fire, and they threw stones at them all. BSB BSB: “Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies.
26 UDB They piled rocks over the ashes of their corpses, and those rocks are still there. That is why that valley is called the Valley of Trouble to this day. BSB BSB: And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
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