Joshua 7

1 The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully [committed a trespass] regarding the things devoted to destruction [set apart for God, under the ban]. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe [family, nation] of Judah, took some of what was set apart [devoted thing, accursed]. So the anger [strong emotion] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] burned [was kindled, incensed] against the Israelites. word study 2 Meanwhile, Joshua [the leader, God’s appointed one] sent men from Jericho [a city of palms, near the Jordan River] to Ai [a heap of ruins, a city of the Ammonites], which is near [or beside, adjacent to] Beth-aven [the house of vanity, a place of idolatry] to the east [or on the east side, in the direction of the rising sun] of Bethel [the house of God, a sacred place], and told them, “Go up [or ascend, to a higher place] and spy out [or explore, to gather information] the land [or the country, the territory].” So the men went up and spied out [or viewed, to see and understand] Ai. word study 3 On returning [to report back, to turn back] to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need [it is not necessary, let not] to send all the people; two or three thousand men [a small group, a few warriors] are enough to go up [to ascend, to rise] and attack [to smite, to strike] Ai [the city of ruins, a heap of rubble]. Since the people of Ai are so few [little, a small number], you need not wear out [to weary, to toil] all our people there [in that place, to that location].” word study 4 So about [approximately, around] three thousand [a large number, a multitude] men [individuals, people] went up [ascended, rose], but they fled [ran away quickly, escaped] before [in the presence of, facing] the men [warriors, soldiers] of Ai [the inhabitants of the city]. word study 5 And the men [people, warriors] of Ai [a city, heap of ruins] struck down about thirty-six [thirty and six] of them, chasing them from the gate [city entrance] as far as the quarries [Shebarim, a place of descent] and striking them down on the slopes [in the going down, at the descent]. So the hearts [mind, will, emotions] of the people [nation, community] melted [became weak, lost courage] and became like water [lost all strength, became discouraged]. word study 6 Then Joshua [the leader of Israel] tore [rent, ripped apart] his clothes [mantle, garments] and fell [prostrated himself, bowed down] facedown [on his face, before the presence] before the ark [the sacred chest, box of the covenant] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] until [as far as, till the time of] evening [sunset, the end of the day], as did [together with, in unity] the elders [old, elderly leaders] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]; and they all [every single one, collectively] sprinkled [threw, put] dust [dry earth] on their heads [in a sign of mourning, humility]. word study 7 “O, Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah],” Joshua [leader of the Israelites] said, “why did You ever bring this people [nation] across the Jordan [river] to deliver us into the hand [power, control] of the Amorites [Canaanite tribe, descendants of Canaan] to be destroyed [perish, lost]? If only [wish, desire] we had been content [satisfied, willing] to stay on the other side [region, area beyond] of the Jordan [river, boundary]! word study 8 O Lord [Adonay, my Master], what [how, in what manner] can I say, now that Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] has turned [overturned, changed direction] its back [neck, in defeat or retreat] and run [fled, turned to flee] from its enemies [adversaries, those who oppose]? word study 9 When the Canaanites [inhabitants of the land, merchants and traders] and all [every single one, everything] who live [dwell, sit, remain] in the land [earth, soil, ground, country] hear [listen, obey, pay attention] about this, they will surround [turn, compass, shut in] us and wipe out [cut off, destroy, eliminate] our name [identity, honor, character] from the earth [land, soil, ground, country]. Then what [how, in what way] will You do [make, act, perform] for Your great [mighty, powerful, supreme] name [reputation, identity, character]?” word study 10 But the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said to Joshua [whose name means’God is salvation’], “Stand up [rise, get up]! Why [what] have you fallen [to fall down or be defeated] on your face [presence or being in front of someone]? word study 11 Israel [the descendants of Jacob] has sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong]; they have transgressed [broken, disobeyed] My covenant [promise, agreement] that I commanded [ordered, appointed] them, and they have taken [seized, carried away] some of what was devoted [dedicated, set apart] to destruction [doom, curse]. Indeed, they have stolen [taken secretly, pilfered] and lied [deceived, been untrue], and they have put [placed, hidden] these things with their own possessions [belongings, treasures]. word study 12 This is why the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] cannot stand [be able, have power] against their enemies [adversaries, those who oppose them]. They will turn their backs [turn their neck, flee] and run from their enemies [flee from their adversaries], because they themselves have been set apart [devoted, doomed] for destruction [to be destroyed, annihilation]. I will no longer be with you [be present, accompany you] unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted [cursed, accursed] to destruction [to be destroyed, desolation]. word study 13 Get up [rise, stand up] and consecrate [set apart, make holy] the people, saying, ‘Consecrate [purify, sanctify] yourselves for tomorrow [the next day, a future time], for this is what the LORD [Yehovah, the God of covenant], the God [Elohim, the supreme deity] of Israel, says: Among you, O Israel, there are things [objects, items] devoted to destruction [accursed, under a curse, doomed]. You cannot stand [be able, have power] against your enemies [adversaries, those who oppose] until you remove [take away, turn aside] them. word study 14 In the morning [at the break of day, in the early light] you must present [approach, come near] yourselves tribe [a clan] by tribe. The tribe [a clan] that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] selects [chooses, captures] shall come forward [approach, draw near] clan [a family or clan] by clan [a family or nation], and the clan [a family or tribe] that the LORD [the supreme God] selects [takes, chooses] shall come forward [approach, draw near] family [a family or clan, a tribe or nation] by family [a household, a dwelling place], and the family [a household] that the LORD [the supreme God] selects [chooses, captures] shall come forward [approach, draw near] man [a great man] by man [an individual, a person]. word study 15 The one who is caught [taken with the accursed thing, found with the devoted thing] with the things devoted to destruction [set apart for God, doomed for destruction] must be burned [burnt with fire, destroyed by fire], along with all [everything, every possession] that belongs to him, because he has transgressed [broken, violated] the covenant [promise, agreement] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] and committed [done, wrought] an outrage [folly, wickedness] in Israel [the community of God’s people].’” word study 16 So Joshua [the leader, Yahweh is salvation] arose early [at the break of day, in the morning] the next morning [after a night of reflection] and had Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] come forward [to present themselves, to approach] tribe by tribe [according to their clans, in an orderly manner], and the tribe of Judah [the tribe of praise, from the son of Jacob] was selected [taken, chosen by God, captured]. word study 17 He had the clans [families, tribes] of Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob] come forward, and the clan [family, tribe] of the Zerahites [a descendant of Zerach, a man from the tribe of Simeon] was selected [captured, taken]. He had the clan [family, tribe] of the Zerahites come forward, and the family [house, household] of Zabdi [endowment, a name meaning gift or bestowal] was selected [captured, taken]. word study 18 And he had the family [household, those belonging to] of Zabdi come forward man by man [one by one, individually], and Achan [the troubler, one who causes sorrow] son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe [a group of people with a common ancestry] of Judah [praise, one who confesses], was selected [taken, chosen by God’s providence]. word study 19 So Joshua [the leader, God’s appointed commander] said to Achan, “My son [a term of endearment and spiritual fatherhood], give glory [honor, praise, and worship] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob], and make a confession [a declaration of faith, a testimony] to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done [to reveal your actions, to confess your sins]; do not hide [to conceal, to keep secret] it from me [to withhold the truth, to deceive].” word study 20 “It is true [indeed, truly],” Achan replied, “I have sinned [missed the mark, gone wrong] against the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], the God [Elohim, the supreme God] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, referring to his descendants]. This [what follows, specifically] is what I did [made, performed]: word study 21 When I saw [beheld, gazed upon] among the spoils [plunder, booty] a beautiful [goodly, pleasant] cloak [garment, robe] from Shinar [Babylonia, a region in the ancient world], two hundred [a large quantity of] shekels [a unit of weight or money] of silver [a valuable metal], and a bar [wedge, mass] of gold [a precious and highly valued metal] weighing fifty shekels [a significant amount of weight], I coveted [desired, lusted after] them and took [seized, claimed] them. They are hidden [concealed, buried] in the ground [earth, land] inside my tent [dwelling place, abode], with the silver [valuable treasure] underneath [beneath, below].” word study 22 So Joshua [a leader, the one who is saved] sent messengers [representatives] who ran [swiftly, with haste] to the tent [the tabernacle, a nomad’s home], and there it all was, hidden [concealed, secretly stored] in his tent [the place of dwelling], with the silver [money, wealth] underneath [below, in a lower position]. word study 23 They took [from the midst of, out of] the things from inside the tent [the tabernacle, a nomad’s home], brought them to Joshua [a leader, successor of Moses] and all [every single one, the entire nation] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people], and spread them out [laid them down, poured them out] before the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 24 Then Joshua [the leader, God’s appointed], together with all Israel [the chosen people, God’s nation], took Achan [the troubler] son of Zerah, the silver [money, wealth], the cloak [mantle, garment], the bar of gold [wedge of gold, valuable treasure], his sons and daughters [his family, loved ones], his oxen and donkeys and sheep [his livestock, possessions], his tent [his dwelling, home], and everything else he owned [all his belongings, wealth], and brought them to the Valley of Achor [the valley of trouble, punishment]. word study 25 “Why have you brought this trouble [caused us so much distress, stirred up affliction] upon us?” said Joshua [the leader, God’s appointed commander]. “Today [on this very day, at this moment] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God] will bring trouble [affliction, judgment] upon you!” And all [every single one, the entire community] Israel stoned him to death [killed him with stones, executed him according to law]. Then they stoned [executed with stones] the others and burned their bodies [consumed them with fire, utterly destroyed them]. word study 26 And they heaped [raised, piled up] over Achan a large [great, immense] pile of rocks [stones, a monument] that remains [still stands, endures] to this day [until now, to the present time]. So the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] turned from His [His own, divine] burning anger [fierce wrath, intense indignation]. Therefore [thus, for this reason] that place [location, region] is called [named, designated] the Valley [lowland area, region] of Achor [trouble, disturbance] to this day [until now, forever]. word study