The Defeat at Ai

1But the children of Israel had comytted a sinne in the thinge yt was damned: for Achan the sonne of Charmi the sonne of Sabdi the sonne of Serah, of ye trybe of Iuda, toke some of it yt was daned. Then was the wrath of the LORDE fearce ouer the children of Israel.

2Now whan Iosua sent out men from Iericho vnto Hai, which lyeth besyde Bethaue on ye eastsyde of Bethel, he sayde vnto the: Go vp, and spye the londe. And whan they had gone vp, and spyed out Hai, 3they came agayne to Iosua, and sayde vnto him: Let not all the people go vp, but vpon a two or thre thousande, that they maye go vp and smyte Hai, lest all the people weerye them selues there, for they are but fewe. 4So there wente vp, of the people vpon a thre thousande men, and they fled before the men of Hai, 5and they of Hai smote vpon a syxe and thyrtie men of them, and chaced them from the porte vnto Sebarim, and smote them downe the waye. Then was the hert of the people discoraged, and became like water.

6As for Iosua he rente his clothes, and fell vpon his face vnto the earth before the Arke of the LORDE, vntill the eueninge, with the Elders of Israel, and cast dust vpon their heades. 7And Iosua sayde: Oh LORDE LORDE, wherfore hast thou broughte this people ouer Iordane, to delyuer vs in to the handes of the Amorites to destroye vs? O that we had taried beionde Iordane, as we begane. 8Oh my LORDE, what shal I saye, whyle Israel turneth his backe vpon his enemies? 9Wha the Cananites heare of this, they shal compasse vs rounde aboute, yee and rote out oure names from of the earth. What wylt thou do then vnto thy greate name?

10Then sayde the LORDE vnto Iosua: Stode vp, why lyest thou so vpon thy face? 11Israel hath offended, and trasgressed ouer my couenaunt, which I commaunded the. They haue taken also of the thinge that was damned, and haue stollen, and dyssembled, and layed it amonge their ornamentes. 12The children of Israel are not able to stonde before their aduersaries, but must turne their backes vpon their enemies: for they are a cursed. I wyll no more be with you from hece forth yf ye put not out the damned from amonge you. 13Stonde vp, and sanctifie the people, and saye: Sanctifie yor selues agaynst tomorow for thus sayeth the LORDE God of Israel: There is a damned thinge in the O Israel, therfore canst thou not stonde before thine enemies, tyll ye put awaye the damned from amonge you. 14And ye shall ryse vp early, one trybe after another: and loke which trybe so euer the LORDE taketh, the same shall come forth, one kynred after another: and loke which kynred the LORDE taketh, the same shall come forth, one house after another. And loke what house the LORDE taketh, the same shal come forth, one housholder after another. 15And who so euer is founde in ye curse, the same shalbe burnt in the fyre with all that he hath: because he hath gone beyonde the couenaunt of the LORDE, and committed folye in Israel.

The Sin of Achan

16Then Iosua gat him vp by tymes in the mornynge, and brought forth Israel, one trybe after another, and ye trybe of Iuda was taken. 17And whan he had brought forth the kynreds in Iuda, ye kinred of the Serahites was taken. And whan he had brought forth the kynred of the Serahites, one housholde after another, Sabdi was taken. 18And wha he had brought forth his house, one housholder after another, Achan the sonne of Charmi ye sonne of Sabdi the sonne of Serah of the trybe of Iuda, was taken. 19And Iosua sayde vnto Achan: My sonne, geue the glory vnto the LORDE the God of Israel, and geue him the prayse, and tell me, what thou hast done, and hide nothinge fro me. 20Then answered Achan vnto Iosua, and sayde: Verely I haue synned agaynst ye LORDE God of Israel, thus & thus haue I done: 21I sawe amoge ye spoiles a costly Babilonish garment, and two hudreth Sycles of syluer and a tunge of golde, worth fiftye Sycles in weight, vnto the which I had a lust, and toke it: and beholde, it is hyd in the grounde in my tente, and the syluer vnder it.

22Then Iosua sent messaungers thither, which ranne to the tente, and beholde, it was hyd in his tente, and the siluer vnder it. 23And they toke it out of the tente, and broughte it vnto Iosua, and to all the children of Israel and poured it before the LORDE. 24Then Iosua and all Israel with him, toke Achan the sonne of Serah with the siluer, the garment and golde tunge, his sonnes and doughters, his oxen and asses, and shepe, and all that he had broughte they in to ye valley of Achor. 25And Iosua sayde: For so moch as thou hast troubled vs, the LORDE trouble the this daye. And all Israel stoned him, and burned him with fyre with all that he had. 26And whan they had stoned him, they made ouer him a greate heape of stones, which remayneth vnto this daye. (So the LORDE turned from the rigorousnes of his wrath.) Therfore is the same place called ye valley of Achor vnto this daye.