The Israelites, however, violated the proscription: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of that which was proscribed, and GOD was incensed with the Israelites.
Joshua sent some men from Jericho to Ai, which lies close to Beth-aven—east of Bethel—with orders to go up and spy out the country. So the men went up and spied out Ai.
They returned to Joshua and reported to him, “Not all the troops need go up. Let two or three thousand men go and attack Ai; do not trouble all the troops to go up there, for [the people] there are few.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישבו
324
אליהושע
422
ויאמרו
263
אליו
47
אליעל
141
כלהעם
165
כאלפים
181
איש
311
או
7
כשלשת
1050
אלפים
161
איש
311
יעלו
116
ויכו
42
אתהעי
486
אלתיגעשמה
859
אתכלהעם
566
כי
30
מעט
119
המה
50
Joshua 7:4
Gematria: 2942
ויעלומןהעםשמהכשלשתאלפיםאישוינסולפניאנשיהעי
So about three thousand of the troops marched up there; but they were routed by the men of Ai.
The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, pursuing them outside the gate as far as Shebarim, and cutting them down along the descent. And the heart of the troops sank in utter dismay.asank in utter dismay Lit. “melted and turned to water.”
Joshua thereupon rent his clothes. He and the elders of Israel lay until evening with their faces to the ground in front of the Ark of GOD; and they strewed earth on their heads.
“Ah, my Sovereign GOD!” cried Joshua. “Why did You lead this people across the Jordan only to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites, to be destroyed by them? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan!
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
יהושע
391
אהה
11
אדני
65
יהוה
26
למה
75
העברת
677
העביר
287
אתהעם
516
הזה
17
אתהירדן
670
לתת
830
אתנו
457
ביד
16
האמרי
256
להאבידנו
108
ולו
42
הואלנו
98
ונשב
358
בעבר
274
הירדן
269
Joshua 7:8
Gematria: 2278
ביאדנימהאמראחריאשרהפךישראלערףלפניאיביו
O my Sovereign, what can I say after Israel has turned tail before its enemies?
When the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land hear of this, they will turn upon us and wipe out our very name from the earth. And what will You do about Your great name?”
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישמעו
432
הכנעני
205
וכל
56
ישבי
322
הארץ
296
ונסבו
124
עלינו
166
והכריתו
647
אתשמנו
797
מןהארץ
386
ומהתעשה
826
לשמך
390
הגדול
48
Joshua 7:10
Gematria: 1808
ויאמריהוהאליהושעקםלךלמהזהאתהנפלעלפניך
But GOD answered Joshua: “Arise! Why do you lie prostrate?
Israel has sinned! They have broken the covenant by which I bound them. They have taken of the proscribed and put it in their vessels; they have stolen; they have broken faith!
Therefore, the Israelites will not be able to hold their ground against their enemies; they will have to turn tail before their enemies, for they have become proscribed. I will not be with you anymore unless you root out from among you what is proscribed.
Go and purify the people. Order them: Purify yourselves for tomorrow. For thus says the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: Something proscribed is in your midst, O Israel, and you will not be able to stand up to your enemies until you have purged the proscribed from among you.
Tomorrow morning you shall present yourselves by tribes. Whichever tribe GOD indicatesbindicates Lit. “catches.” shall come forward by clans; the clan that GOD indicates shall come forward by ancestral houses, and the ancestral house that GOD indicates shall come forward man by man.
Then he who is indicated for proscription,cindicated for proscription Or “caught in the net.” and all that is his, shall be put to the fire, because he broke the Covenant of GOD and because he committed an outrage in Israel.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
והיה
26
הנלכד
109
בחרם
250
ישרף
590
באש
303
אתו
407
ואתכלאשרלו
994
כי
30
עבר
272
אתברית
1013
יהוה
26
וכיעשה
411
נבלה
87
בישראל
543
Joshua 7:16
Gematria: 3099
וישכםיהושעבבקרויקרבאתישראללשבטיווילכדשבטיהודה
Early next morning, Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes; and the tribe of Judah was indicated.
He then had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of Zerah was indicated. Then he had the clan of Zerah come forward by ancestral houses,dancestral houses So some Heb. mss. and some ancient versions; most mss. and editions have “men.” and Zabdi was indicated.
Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, pay honor to the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, by making confession. Tell me what you have done; do not hold anything back from me.”
I saw among the spoil a fine Shinar mantle, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, and I coveted them and took them. They are buried in the ground in my tent, with the silver under the mantle.”ethe mantle Heb. “it.”
Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah—and the silver, the mantle, and the wedge of gold—his sons and daughters, and his ox, his donkey, and his flock, and his tent, and all his belongings, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
And Joshua said, “What calamity you have brought upon us! GOD will bring calamity upon you this day.” And all Israel pelted him with stones. They put them to the fire and stoned them.
They raised a huge mound of stones over him, which is still there. Then GOD’s anger subsided. That is why that place was named the Valley of AchorhAchor Connected with ʼakhar “to bring calamity upon”; cf. v. 25.—as is still the case.