Achan and the Defeat at Ai

Joshua sent men from Jericho to spy out Ai, east of Bethel near Beth Aven. They came back saying only two or three thousand soldiers were needed because Ai seemed small. So about three thousand went up, but the men of Ai drove them back and killed about thirty-six. Israel’s hearts melted in fear.

Joshua and the elders tore their clothes, fell before the ark until evening, and put dust on their heads. Joshua cried out to the Lord in deep distress. He asked why Israel had crossed the Jordan only to be handed over to its enemies, and what would happen to the Lord’s great name when the peoples of the land heard about this defeat.

The Lord told Joshua to get up. Israel had sinned. Someone had taken some of the devoted things, stolen them, and acted deceitfully by putting them among his own belongings. Because of this, Israel could not stand before its enemies. Joshua was told to prepare the people, because in the morning the guilty person would be identified, tribe by tribe, family by family, household by household.

Early the next morning, Joshua brought Israel near. The tribe of Judah was selected, then the family of the Zerahites, then Zabdi, and finally Achan son of Carmi. Joshua urged him to confess and not hide what he had done. Achan admitted that he had sinned. He had seen a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels. He wanted them, took them, and buried them in the middle of his tent, with the silver underneath.

Joshua’s messengers ran to the tent and found the hidden things exactly where Achan had said. They brought them before the Lord. Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, the stolen goods, his sons and daughters, his animals, his tent, and all that he had to the Valley of Achor. There Achan was judged, and a great heap of stones was raised over him. After this, the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger.