CHAPTER 7

1 Now the children of Israel transgressed with transgression (grievously) in the anathema, inasmuch as Achan, son of Charmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the anathema; and the wrath of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.

2 Moreover, Joshua sent men from Jericho against Hai, which was near Bethaven to the east of Bethel, and he spoke with them, saying, Go up and explore the land. The men accordingly went up and explored Hai.

3 And having returned to Joshua, they said to him, Let not the whole people go up; let about two thousand men, or about three thousand men go up, and they shall smite Hai.

4 About three thousand men therefore went up from the people, and they fled before the men of Hai.

5 And they smote about thirty-six men of them, and pursued them from the gate even to Sebarim, and smote them in the descent; and thus the heart of the people was melted, and was like water.

6 Moreover, Joshua rent his clothes, and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of Jehovah even till evening, himself and the elders of Israel, and they put dust upon their head.

7 And Joshua said, Ah, ah! Sovereign Jehovah, how is it that thou has brought this people across the Jordan, that thou might deliver us into the hand of the Amorite, who will destroy us? Would that it had pleased us to remain in the desert beyond the Jordan!

8 O Lord, what shall I say after Israel turns his back before his enemies?

9 And the Canaanite and all the inhabitants of the land will hear, and will turn against us, and will destroy our name from the earth; and what wilt thou do to thy great name?

10 Then Jehovah said to Joshua, Arise. Why is it that thou thus falls upon thy face?

11 Israel has sinned, and they have even transgressed my paction which I enjoined upon them, and they have also taken of the anathema, and they have also stolen, and they have also lied, and they have also deposited it among their vessels.

12 Therefore the children of Israel have not been able to stand before their enemies; they will turn their back before their enemies; because they are in anathema, I will not continue to be with you, unless you destroy the anathema from the midst of you.

13 Arise, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to-morrow; for thus says Jehovah, God of Israel, there is anathema in the midst of thee, Israel.

14 You shall therefore come near in the morning by your tribes; and the tribe which Jehovah shall detect will come near by families; and the family which Jehovah shall detect shall come near by houses; and the house which Jehovah shall detect will come near by men.

15 And the man who shall be detected in the anathema, will be burnt with fire, himself and all things which are his, because he has transgressed the paction of Jehovah, and has done iniquity in Israel.

16 Joshua accordingly rose early in the morning, and caused Israel to draw near by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.

17 Then he put in the kindreds of Judah, and took the kindred of Zera; then he put in the families of Zari by men, and the family of Zabdi was taken.

18 And he took his house by men, and Achan, son of Charmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zera, was taken.

19 Then said Joshua to Achan, My son, now give glory to Jehovah, God of Israel, and make confession to him, and discover to me what thou has done; do not conceal it from me.

20 Achan replied to Joshua and says, Truly I have sinned to Jehovah God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.

21 I saw among the spoils a good Babylonish cloak, and two hundred shekels of silver, and one wedge of gold, whose weight was fifty shekels, which I coveted and carried off; and, behold, they are hidden in the ground, in the midst of my tent, and the silver beneath.

22 Joshua therefore sent messengers, who ran to the tent; behold it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

23 And they took them from the midst of the tent, and they brought them to Joshua, and to all the children of Israel, and placed them before Jehovah.

24 Joshua, therefore, taking Achan, the son of Zera, and the silver, and the cloak, and the golden wedge, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his flocks, and his tent, and all things which were his, and at the same time all Israel with him, led them down into the valley of Achor.

25 And Joshua said, Why has thou troubled us? Jehovah trouble thee this day. And all Israel overwhelmed him with stones, and burnt them with fire after they stoned them with stones.

26 And they placed over him a great heap of stones, even to this day, and Jehovah was turned from his hot anger; therefore they called the name of that place The valley of Achor, even to this day.