71 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban , for Achan , the son of Carmi , the son of Zabdi , the son of Zerah , from the tribe of Judah , took some of the things under the ban , therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel . 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai , which is near Beth-aven , east of Bethel , and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land ." So the men went up and spied out Ai . 3 They returned to Joshua and said to him, "Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai ; do not make all the people toil up there , for they are few ." 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there , but they fled from the men of Ai . 5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men , and pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them down on the descent , so the hearts of the people melted and became as water .
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening , both he and the elders of Israel ; and they put dust on their heads . 7 Joshua said , "Alas , O Lord GOD , why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan , only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites , to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan ! 8 "O Lord , what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies ? 9 " For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth . And what will You do for Your great name ?"
10 So the Lord said to Joshua , "Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face ? 11 "Israel has sinned , and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived . Moreover, they have also put them among their own things . 12 "Therefore the sons of Israel cannot e stand before their enemies ; they turn their backs before their enemies , for they have become accursed . I will not be with you anymore unless e you destroy the things under the ban from your midst . 13 "Rise up! Consecrate the people and say , 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow , for thus the Lord , the God of Israel , has said , " There are things under the ban in your midst , O Israel . You cannot e stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst ." 14 'In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes . And it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes by lot shall come near by families , and the family which the Lord takes shall come near by households , and the household which the Lord takes shall come near man by man . 15 ' It shall be that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire , he and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord , and because he has committed a disgraceful thing in Israel .' "
16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes , and the tribe of Judah was taken . 17 He brought the family of Judah near , and he took the family of the Zerahites ; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man , and Zabdi was taken . 18 He brought his household near man by man ; and Achan , son of Carmi , son of Zabdi , son of Zerah , from the tribe of Judah , was taken . 19 Then Joshua said to Achan , "My son , I implore you, give glory to the Lord , the God of Israel , and give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done . Do not hide it from me." 20 So Achan answered Joshua and said , "Truly , I have sinned against the Lord , the God of Israel , and this is what I did : 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight , then I coveted them and took them; and behold , they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it." 22 So Joshua sent messengers , and they ran to the tent ; and behold , it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it. 23 They took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel , and they poured them out before the Lord . 24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah , the silver , the mantle , the bar of gold , his sons , his daughters , his oxen , his donkeys , his sheep , his tent and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor . 25 Joshua said , "Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day ." And all Israel stoned them with stones ; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones . 26 They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day , and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger . Therefore e the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day .
