1 But 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.

2 Joshua 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.

3 They 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
toilthere,for there are only a few ofthem.”

4 So about three thousand men of the
people went up there, and they fled before
the men of Ai.

5 The 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.

6 Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the
earth on his face before Yahweh’s ark untilthe evening, he and the elders of Israel;
and they put dust on their heads.

7 Joshua 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!

8 Oh, Lord, what shall I say, after Israel
has turned their backs before their enemies?

9 For 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?”

10 Yahweh said to Joshua, “Get up! Why
have you fallen on your face like that?

11 Israel 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.

12 Therefore 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.

13 Get 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.”