1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted thing {cherem: that which is set apart for destruction}. Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerach, of the tribe of Judah, took from the devoted thing, and the anger of the LORD {YHWH: Covenant Enforcer} burned against the sons of Israel.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to the Ai, which is beside Beth-aven {Beit-aven: House of Vanity} east of Bethel, and he said to them, “Go up and spy out the land {aretz: region}.” So the men went up and spied out the Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up {yaʿal: ascend}; about two or three thousand men should go up and strike Ai, but do not make all the people toil there, for they are few {meʿat: small in number}.”
4 And about three thousand men went up there from the people, but they fled {vayanusu: quickly retreated} before the men of Ai {ha'ai: fortified ruin}.
5 And the men of Ai {ha-‘ay: the ruin-city} struck down about thirty-six of them and pursued them from before the gate as far as Shebarim {šəḇārîm: breaking places} and struck them down at the descent. Then the heart of the people melted and became like water.
6 And Joshua tore his garments and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge}, remaining there until evening with the elders of Israel, and they put dust {afar: sign of mourning} on their heads.
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord GOD {YHWH Adonai, Supreme Sovereign}, why did You bring this people {am: covenant community} across the Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been willing and had stayed on the other side of the Jordan.”
8 Please, Lord {Adonai, Authority Over Judgment}, what can I say after Israel has turned their backs {oref: Sign Of Defeat} before their enemies?
9 And the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround and cut off {hikhritu: total eradication} our name {shem: reputation and authority} from the land. What then will you do for your great name?
10 And the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Enforcer} said to Joshua, “Arise for yourself. Why is this—you are falling {nofel: posture of despair} upon your face?”
11 Israel has sinned, and also they have transgressed My {YHWH, Sovereign Judge} covenant which I commanded them; and also they have taken from the devoted things {cherem: under ban}, and also they have stolen, and also they have deceived, and also they have put them among their own vessels.
12 The sons of Israel were not able to stand before their enemies; they turn the back of the neck before their enemies because they have become devoted to destruction {cherem: set apart for total removal}. I {YHWH, Loyal Ally} will not continue to be with you unless you destroy the devoted thing from your midst.
13 Arise, sanctify the people, and you shall say, “Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the LORD God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisrael, Sovereign Judge}: There is a devoted thing {cherem: thing under ban} in your midst, Israel. You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the devoted thing from your midst.”
14 And you shall assemble in the morning tribe by tribe {shivteichem: kinship divisions}, and the tribe that the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Arbiter} chooses shall advance clan by clan; then the clan that the LORD chooses shall proceed household by household; and the household that the LORD chooses shall come forward man by man.
15 And it shall be that the one caught in the ban shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he transgressed the covenant of the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} and because he did nevalah {nevalah: immoral folly} in Israel.
16 And Joshua {Yehoshua: Appointed Leader} rose early in the morning and brought Israel {Yisrael: covenant people} forward by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17 And he brought near the clan {mishpachat: kin-group division} of Judah and took the clan of the Zerahite. Then he brought the Zerahite clan man by man {gvarim: men, one by one}, and Zabdi was taken.
18 He brought his household {beito: extended family unit} near, presenting them man by man, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken {vayillaked: chosen by lot}.
19 And Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisrael, Righteous Judge} and make confession {todah: admission of guilt} to Him. Tell me what You have done—do not hide it from Me."
20 And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Truly, I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisra'el, Righteous Judge}, and this is what I have done {asiti: brought about}."
21 And I saw in the spoils a beautiful robe {aderet: splendid garment} from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, and I coveted them {vaechmedem: yearned deeply} and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, and the silver is beneath it.
22 Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden {tmunah: concealed object} in his tent with the silver beneath {tahteha: under-it suffix} it.
23 And they took the goods from the midst of the tent {ohel: family tent} and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they spread them out before the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge}.
24 Then Joshua took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar {leshon: tongue-shaped ingot}, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, and all Israel went with him and brought them to the Valley of Achor {Place of Trouble}.
25 And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled{akhar: ruinous havoc} us? The LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} will trouble you this day.” Then all Israel stoned him with stones, burned them in the fire, and stoned them with stones.
26 And they set up over him a great heap of stones until this day, and the LORD {YHWH, Anger Withdrawer} turned back from the burning of His anger {charon: passionate wrath}. Therefore the name of that place was called the Valley of Achor until this day.