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Joshua 7 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

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Ai Defeats the Israelites
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:1 - But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the LORD.[fn] 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[fn] son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:2 - Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:3 - When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:4 - So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:5 - chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries,[fn] and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:6 - Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:7 - Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:8 - Lord, what can I say now that Israel has fled from its enemies?
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:9 - For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:10 - But the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:11 - Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:12 - That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. I will not remain with you any longer unless you destroy the things among you that were set apart for destruction.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:13 - “Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the LORD. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:14 - “In the morning you must present yourselves by tribes, and the LORD will point out the tribe to which the guilty man belongs. That tribe must come forward with its clans, and the LORD will point out the guilty clan. That clan will then come forward, and the LORD will point out the guilty family. Finally, each member of the guilty family must come forward one by one.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:15 - The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel.”
Achan’s Sin
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:16 - Early the next morning Joshua brought the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Judah was singled out.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:17 - Then the clans of Judah came forward, and the clan of Zerah was singled out. Then the families of Zerah came forward, and the family of Zimri was singled out.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:18 - Every member of Zimri’s family was brought forward person by person, and Achan was singled out.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:19 - Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:20 - Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:21 - Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon,[fn] 200 silver coins,[fn] and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound.[fn] I wanted them so much that I took them. They are hidden in the ground beneath my tent, with the silver buried deeper than the rest.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:22 - So Joshua sent some men to make a search. They ran to the tent and found the stolen goods hidden there, just as Achan had said, with the silver buried beneath the rest.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:23 - They took the things from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites. Then they laid them on the ground in the presence of the LORD.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:24 - Then Joshua and all the Israelites took Achan, the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, tent, and everything he had, and they brought them to the valley of Achor.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:25 - Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The LORD will now bring trouble on you.” And all the Israelites stoned Achan and his family and burned their bodies.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 7:26 - They piled a great heap of stones over Achan, which remains to this day. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Trouble[fn] ever since. So the LORD was no longer angry.
NLT Footnotes
The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; similarly in 7:11, 12, 13, 15.
As in parallel text at 1 Chr 2:6; Hebrew reads Zabdi. Also in 7:17, 18.
Or as far as Shebarim.
Hebrew Shinar.
Hebrew 200 shekels of silver, about 5 pounds or 2.3 kilograms in weight.
Hebrew 50 shekels, about 20 ounces or 570 grams in weight.
Hebrew valley of Achor.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Full copyright information is provided here. Visit the New Living Translation website.

For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

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