Achan, son of Karmi from the clan of Zerah in the tribe of Judah, became a warning figure in Israel's history when he took what was devoted to destruction (herem) from Jericho. Despite God's explicit command, he took a fine robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, and buried the loot under his tent. The violation brought immediate and dramatic consequences: God's presence and protection withdrew from the people, and Israel suffered an unexpected defeat against the small town of Ai, where thirty-six men fell. When Joshua threw himself down before the ark of the covenant in prayer, the Lord revealed that the camp had become unclean because someone had taken devoted things. A step-by-step process of casting lots – tribe, clan, household, individual – narrowed the search to Achan. Confronted face-to-face with his guilt, he made a frank confession describing the dynamics of desire: he saw, he coveted, he took. Then he was led to the Valley of Achor along with his family, possessions, and the stolen goods, and the whole assembly carried out the sentence by stoning and burning. The place received the name Achor – "Valley of Trouble" – as a lasting memorial. Achan's story shows that disobedience against God's holy commands affects more than just the guilty person, and that desire for what is forbidden can set off a chain of destruction for an entire people.
After the fall of Jericho, Achan took some of the devoted things—a beautiful robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels—and hid them under his tent, directly disobeying God's command that all devoted things must be destroyed or given to the Lord.
17The city and everything in it are devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute shall live, she and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the messengers we sent.
18But keep away from what is devoted to destruction, or you will bring destruction on yourselves by taking any of it. You would make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring disaster upon it.
1But the Israelites broke faith concerning the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was devoted, and the LORD's anger burned against the Israelites.
Because of Achan's unfaithfulness, God turned away from Israel, and the people suffered an unexpected and humiliating defeat against the small town of Ai, where about 36 Israelites were killed and the rest put to flight.
2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which lies near Beth Aven, east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and scout out the land." So the men went up and scouted Ai.
3When they returned to Joshua they said, "There is no need for the whole army to go up. Send about two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Do not wear out the whole army there, for the people of Ai are few."
5The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as Shebarim and cutting them down on the slope. At this the hearts of the people melted and turned to water.
After the defeat, Joshua fell on his face before the ark of the Lord's covenant and cried out to God in despair. The Lord revealed that Israel had sinned by taking some of the devoted things, and that the people would not be able to stand against their enemies until the sin was removed.
6Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown on the ground before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they threw dust on their heads.
7And Joshua said, "Alas, Lord GOD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan—only to hand us over to the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!
9The Canaanites and all who live in the land will hear of it. They will surround us and wipe our name from the earth. And then what will you do for your great name?"
11Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of what was devoted to destruction; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put it among their own possessions.
12That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They turn their backs and run, because they themselves have now become devoted to destruction. I will not be with you any longer unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
13Get up! Consecrate the people. Say to them, 'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There is devoted property among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it from your midst.'
God commanded that Israel be presented tribe by tribe through casting lots. First the tribe of Judah was selected, then Zerah's clan, then Zimri's household, and finally Achan son of Karmi was revealed as the guilty one.
14In the morning you shall come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD singles out shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the LORD singles out shall come forward household by household; and the household the LORD singles out shall come forward man by man.
15The one who is caught with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done an outrageous thing in Israel."
17He brought forward the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was singled out. He brought the clan of the Zerahites forward man by man, and Zabdi was singled out.
Joshua urged Achan to give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and make his confession. Achan admitted that he had seen, coveted, and taken a costly robe from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, and buried them in the ground under his tent.
19Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."
21Among the spoil I saw a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels. I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
Achan was brought to the Valley of Achor along with the stolen goods, his sons and daughters, his livestock, and all he owned. All Israel stoned them, they were burned with fire, and covered with a large pile of stones. The place was named the Valley of Achor, meaning 'valley of trouble,' as a lasting witness to the consequences of breaking God's holy commands.
24Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and everything he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25Joshua said, "Why have you brought this disaster on us? Today the LORD brings disaster on you." Then all Israel pelted him with stones, and they burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26Over him they piled a great heap of stones, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. That is why the place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.