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¹ And the sons of Israel sinned a sin in the devoted things. And Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah took of the devoted things. And the anger of Jehovah glowed against the sons of Israel.² And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, on the east of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai.³ And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Do not let all the people go up. Let about two thousand men, or about three thousand men, go up, and they shall strike Ai. Do not cause all the people to labor there, for they are few.⁴ And about three thousand men of the people went up there. And they fled before the men of Ai.⁵ And the men of Ai struck about thirty six men of them, and pursued them before the gate to Shebarim. And they struck them in the descent. And the heart of the people was melted, and became as water.

⁶ And Joshua tore his clothing, and fell on his face to the earth before the ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they threw dust on their heads.⁷ And Joshua said, Oh Lord Jehovah, why have You at all caused this people to cross over the Jordan to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? And, Oh that we had been willing, and that we had dwelt beyond the Jordan!⁸ Oh Lord, what shall I say, after Israel has turned its back before its enemies?⁹ And the Canaanites, and all the ones living in the land shall hear, and shall come around against us, and shall cut off our name out of the earth. And what shall You do for Your great name?

¹⁰ And Jehovah said to Joshua, Get up! Why do you fall on your face this way?¹¹ Israel has sinned, and they also have transgressed My covenant which I commanded them, and have also taken of the cursed things, and have also stolen, and also deceived, and also put it among their stuff.¹² And the sons of Israel have not been able to stand before their enemies; they have turned the back before their enemies because they have become cursed. I will not be with you again if you do not destroy the cursed things from among you.¹³ Rise up, sanctify the people, and you shall say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow. For so says Jehovah, the God of Israel, A cursed thing is among you, Israel; you are not able to stand beforeyour enemies until you take away the cursedthing from among you.¹⁴ And you shall be brought near in the morning, by your tribes. And it shall be, the tribe which Jehovah takes shall draw near by families. And the family which Jehovah takes shall draw near by households. And the household which Jehovah takesshall draw near by men.¹⁵ And it shall be, he who is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of Jehovah and because he has committed folly in Israel.

¹⁶ And Joshua rose early in the morning, and brought Israel near by its tribes. And the tribe of Judah was taken.¹⁷ And he brought the family of Judah near; and he took the family of the Zerahites. And he brought near the family of the Zerahites by men, and Zabdi was taken.¹⁸ And he brought near his household by men, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.¹⁹ And Joshua said to Achan, My son, now give glory to Jehovah, the God of Israel, and give thanks to Him, and please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.²⁰ And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Truly I have sinned against Jehovah, the God of Israel, and this I have done:²¹ When I saw among the spoil a goodly robe of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, one of fifty shekels in weight, then I lusted after them, and took them. And behold, they of my tent, and the silver under it.²² And Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent, and the silver under it.²³ And they took them out of the middle of the tent, and brought them to Joshua, and to all the sons of Israel, and laid them out before Jehovah.²⁴ And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the robe, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his ass, and his flock, and his tent, and all that he had. And they madethem go up to the valley of Achor.²⁵ And Joshua said, How you have troubled us! Jehovah shall trouble you today! And all Israel threw stones at him, and they burned them with fire, and they stoned them with stones.²⁶ And they raised over him a great heap of stones to this day. And Jehovah turned back from the heat of His anger. On this account the name of that place is The Valley of Grief until this day.