Achan’s Sin
1But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18. the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.
2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.
3When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.
6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”
10The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
13“Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
14“ ‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ”
16Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.
19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
20Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia,7:21 Hebrew Shinar two hundred shekels7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.
24Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”
Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor7:26 Achor means trouble. ever since.
亚干犯罪
1以色列人在当毁灭之物的事上犯了罪。因为犹大支派中谢拉的曾孙、撒底的孙子、迦米的儿子亚干拿了一些本该毁灭之物，耶和华便向以色列人发怒。
2当时，约书亚从耶利哥派人去伯特利东边靠近伯·亚文的艾城，并吩咐道：“你们去侦察那地方。”那些人便上去侦察艾城。 3他们侦察回来后对约书亚说：“那里的居民很少，我们不必全军出动，只要派两三千人上去便可以攻取艾城，不必劳师动众。” 4于是，大约有三千以色列人去攻打艾城，不料却被艾城人击溃。 5艾城的人杀了他们三十六人，从城门前追杀他们，一直到示巴琳，在下坡处杀败他们。以色列人吓得心惊胆战。
6约书亚和以色列的长老便撕裂衣服，把灰撒在头上，俯伏在耶和华的约柜面前，直到晚上。 7约书亚说：“唉！主耶和华啊，你为什么把我们带过约旦河，交给亚摩利人毁灭呢？倒不如让我们住在约旦河东岸！ 8主啊，现在以色列人被仇敌打败，我还有什么话可说呢？ 9迦南人和这一带的人听到这消息以后，必从四面八方来围攻我们，将我们从地上斩尽杀绝。那时候，你的大名怎么办呢？”
10耶和华对约书亚说：“起来吧！你为何俯伏在地？ 11以色列人犯了罪，违背了我吩咐他们应守的约，拿了本该毁灭之物放在自己的行囊里，又偷窃又撒谎。 12所以，以色列人无法抵挡敌人，掉头败逃，因为他们已成当毁之物。你必须将那些本该毁灭之物从你们中间除掉，不然我就不再与你们同在。 13起来吧！去吩咐民众洁净自己，让他们为明天洁净自己，因为以色列的上帝耶和华这样说，‘以色列啊！你们中间有当毁之物，你们不除掉它们就无法抵挡敌人。 14明天早上，你们要按支派一个一个前来，耶和华指出哪个支派，哪支派的各宗族便要前来。耶和华指出哪个宗族，哪宗族的各家族便要前来。耶和华指出哪个家族，哪家族的各成员便要前来。 15哪个人被指出拿了本该毁灭之物，哪个人及其所有的东西就要被火焚烧。因为他违背了耶和华的约，在以色列人中做了可耻的事。’”
16第二天清早，约书亚按照支派召来以色列人，结果抽中犹大支派； 17他让犹大支派各宗族前来，结果抽中谢拉宗族；他让谢拉宗族前来，结果抽中撒底家族； 18他让撒底家族的人一个一个前来，结果抽中犹大支派中谢拉的曾孙、撒底的孙子、迦米的儿子亚干。 19约书亚对亚干说：“孩子啊，我劝你把荣耀归给以色列的上帝耶和华，向祂认罪，把你所做的事告诉我，不要隐瞒。” 20亚干答道：“我的确得罪了以色列的上帝耶和华。事情是这样的， 21在夺得的财物中，我看上了一件漂亮的示拿外衣、四十五两银子和十两金子，我一时贪心便拿去了，藏在我帐篷的地底下，银子就放在衣服下面。”
22约书亚派人跑到他帐篷里，果然那件外衣藏在他帐篷里，银子在衣服下面。 23他们从帐篷里取出这些东西，将它们带到约书亚和全体民众那里，摆在耶和华面前。 24约书亚和全体以色列人把谢拉家族的亚干、那些银子、衣服和金子及其儿女、牛、驴、羊、帐篷和一切所有都带到亚割谷。 25约书亚对亚干说：“你为什么给我们惹祸呢？耶和华今天要降祸给你。”于是，以色列人便拿石头打死了他及其一切，将他们烧毁。 26他们在亚干身上堆起一大堆石头，那些石头今天还在。耶和华这才息怒，因此那地方至今还叫亚割7:26 “亚割”意思是“连累”。谷。
