Joshua 7 

Joshua 7:1 The Israelites, however, were unfaithful regarding the things set apart for destruction. Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and Yahveh’s anger burned against the Israelites.

Joshua 7:2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and scout the land.” So the men went up and scouted Ai.

Joshua 7:3 After returning to Joshua they reported to him, “Don’t send all the people, but send about two thousand or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, don’t wear out all our people there.”

Joshua 7:4 So about three thousand men went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai.

Joshua 7:5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them and chased them from outside the city gate to the quarries, striking them down on the descent. As a result, the people lost heart.

Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of Yahveh until evening, as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads.

Joshua 7:7 “Oh, Lord God,” Joshua said, “Why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan!

Joshua 7:8 What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?

Joshua 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and exterminate our name from the land. Then what will you do about your great name?”

Joshua 7:10 Yahveh then said to Joshua, “Stand up! Why have you fallen facedown?

Joshua 7:11 Israel has failed. They have violated the covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their belongings.

Joshua 7:12 This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies because they have been set apart for destruction. I will only be with you if you annihilate[1] from among you what is set apart.

Joshua 7:13 “Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves for tomorrow, for this is what Yahveh, the God of Israel, says: Some things are set apart among you, Israel. You will not be able to stand against your enemies until you remove what is set apart.

Joshua 7:14 In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe Yahveh selects is to come forward clan by clan. The clan Yahveh selects is to come forward family by family. The family Yahveh selects is to come forward man by man.

Joshua 7:15 The one who is caught with the things set apart must be burned, along with everything he has, because he has violated Yahveh’s covenant and committed an outrage in Israel.”

Joshua 7:16 Joshua got up early the next morning. He had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.

Joshua 7:17 He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the Zerahite clan was selected. He had the Zerahite clan come forward by heads of families, and Zabdi was selected.

Joshua 7:18 He then had Zabdi’s family come forward man by man, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

Joshua 7:19 So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to Yahveh, the God of Israel, and make a confession to him. I urge you to tell me what you have done. Don’t hide anything from me.”

Joshua 7:20 Achan replied to Joshua, “It is true. I have sinned against Yahveh, the God of Israel. This is what I did:

Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon, five pounds of silver, and a bar of gold weighing a pound and a quarter, I craved[2] them and took them. You can see for yourself. They are concealed in the ground inside my tent, with the silver under the cloak.”

Joshua 7:22 So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there was the cloak, concealed in his tent, with the silver underneath.

Joshua 7:23 They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out in Yahveh’s presence.

Joshua 7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, and the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his ox, donkey, and sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.

Joshua 7:25 Joshua said, “Why have you cut us off? Today Yahveh will cut you off!” So all Israel stoned them to death. They burned their bodies, threw stones on them,

Joshua 7:26 and raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains still today. Then Yahveh turned from his burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor still today.

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[1] שָׁמַד  = annihilate. Joshua 7:12; 9:24; 11:14, 20; 23:15; 24:8.

[2] חָמַד = crave.

Joshua 7 quotes:

“The narrator sets the stage for failure at Ai (Hb. ruin; LXX, city). From an omniscient view, the narrator warns readers that all is not well in the camp after victory at Jericho. The people have acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things because Achan of the tribe of Judah has taken some of the forbidden booty for himself. The impact of this violation of herem means that the LoRD’s anger burned against Israel (7:1). The point of view of the narrator focuses the story on the ban violation and its implications for the entire people. These responses explain why the army of the tribes was defeated, suffered casualties, and felt embarrassed when God did not fight for the people.”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 52.

“Joshua followed God’s instructions precisely (7:16-18). The reader is immediately curious as to how Joshua knew that the tribe of Judah “was taken” instead of Ephraim or Benjamin. Probably God directed the process through the casting of lots (1 Samuel 14:41-42). The practice of casting lots utilized marked objects that one threw to the ground to determine yes or no answers or to determine one of two alternatives.”

Lyles, Ron, et al. Joshua and Judges. 1st ed, Baptistway Press, 2005. p. 46.

“Chapter 7 serves to connect the fall of Jericho (6.1-27) to the capture and destruction of Ai (8.1-29). There is first an unsuccessful attempt to capture the city (verses 2-5); Israel’s failure to take the city is explained as being the consequence of Achan’s sin in disobeying the Lord’s command not to keep anything valuable found in Jericho (verse 1). The Israelite leaders complain to God about the defeat of Israel (verses 6-9), and God reveals the reason for their defeat and the method for discovering the guilty one (verses 10-15). The plan is put into effect: Achan is indicated as the guilty man (verses 16-19), he confesses his sin (verses 20-21), and is immediately executed.”

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 85.

Joshua 7 links:

disabled warfare
each link is important
first reaction
formed from the dust – Snips and snails
loser lottery
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 8, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Wednesday, June 19, 2019
missions and the valley of trouble
set apart for destruction
standing up against sin
the only number that matters
the shame of selfishness
valley of cutting off

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library

Joshua 6 

Joshua 6:1 Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites – no one leaving or entering.

Joshua 6:2 Yahveh said to Joshua, “Notice, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its most capable soldiers over to you.

Joshua 6:3 March around the city with all the soldiers, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.

Joshua 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times while the priests blow the trumpets.

Joshua 6:5 When there is a prolonged blast of the horn, and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a strong yell. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops can advance, each man straight ahead.”

Joshua 6:6 So Joshua, son of Nun, called the priests together and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven trumpets in front of the ark of Yahveh.”

Joshua 6:7 He said to the troops, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed men go ahead of the ark of Yahveh.”

Joshua 6:8 After Joshua had spoken to the troops, seven priests carrying seven trumpets moved forward and blew the trumpets in front of Yahveh; the ark of Yahveh’s covenant followed them.

Joshua 6:9 While the trumpets were blowing, the soldiers went in front of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard went behind the ark.

Joshua 6:10 But Joshua had commanded the troops: “Do not yell or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Yell! ‘ Then you are to yell.”

Joshua 6:11 So the ark of Yahveh was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.

Joshua 6:12 Joshua got up early the following day. The priests took the ark of Yahveh,

Joshua 6:13 and the seven priests carrying seven trumpets marched in front of the ark of Yahveh. While the trumpets were blowing, the soldiers went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of Yahveh.

Joshua 6:14 On the second day, they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

Joshua 6:15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times.

Joshua 6:16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the troops, “Yell! Because Yahveh has given you the city.

Joshua 6:17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to Yahveh for destruction. Only Rahab, the prostitute, and everyone with her in the house will stay alive because she hid the messengers we sent.

Joshua 6:18 But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.

Joshua 6:19 You see, all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are sacred to Yahveh and must go into Yahveh’s treasury.”

Joshua 6:20 So the troops yelled, and the trumpets sounded. When they heard the blast of the trumpet, the troops gave a great yell, and the wall collapsed. The troops advanced into the city, each man straight ahead, and they captured the city.

Joshua 6:21 They set apart for destruction everything in the city with the sword – every man and woman, both young and old, and every ox, sheep, and donkey.

Joshua 6:22 Joshua said to the two men who had scouted the land, “Go to the prostitute’s house and bring the woman out of there and everyone who is with her, just like you swore to her.”

Joshua 6:23 So the young men who had scouted went in and brought out Rahab and her father, mother, brothers, and everyone who belonged to her. They brought out her whole family and settled them outside the camp of Israel.

Joshua 6:24 They burned the city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of Yahveh’s house.

Joshua 6:25 However, Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, her father’s family, and everyone who belonged to her because she hid the messengers Joshua had sent to spy on Jericho, and she still lives in Israel today.

Joshua 6:26 At that time, Joshua imposed this curse: The man who undertakes the rebuilding of this city, Jericho, is cursed before Yahveh. He will lay its foundation at the cost of his firstborn; he will finish its gates at the cost of his youngest.

Joshua 6:27 And Yahveh was with Joshua, and news about him spread throughout the land.

Joshua 6 quotes:

“Many readers reject the book of Joshua because they think it describes only warfare. In reality, the narratives concentrate on God’s role in giving the land and summarize the warfare. Joshua 6:20-25 covers the fighting in summary fashion. That section points out the results of what could have been an intense battle. It describes the falling of the wall, the killing of the population, the burning of the city, and the rescue of Rahab and her family. Most of the chapter details marching instructions to Joshua and subsequently to the people and the liturgical march around the city. This format emphasizes not the violence of the warfare but rather the sounding of the trumpets and the war whoop of the ritual. The chapter makes the point that Jericho falls because of the power of God and the faithfulness of the people instead of battlefield strategy or skills.”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 47.

“In verses 1-7 the Lord gives instructions to Joshua about the capture of Jericho; it is the Lord’s doing (verse 2), and the city walls will fall without the use of human force (verses 3-5). Joshua tells the Lord’s instructions to the priests (verse 6) and to the people (verse 7), and all is ready. Jericho is in a state of siege (verse 1), which may indicate that considerable time has passed since the Israelites encamped at Gilgal.

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 69.

Joshua 6 links:

conditional victory
dedicated or destroyed
Immanuel – part 1
Jericho and Gehenna
leaving the rubble alone
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 7, 2015
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Tuesday, June 20, 2023
our missions–his victories
our scarlet cord
set apart for destruction
silent soldiers
spared
symbol of fear

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library

Joshua 4 

Joshua 4:1 This happened when the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Yahveh said to Joshua:

Joshua 4:2 “Bring twelve men from the people, one man for each tribe,

Joshua 4:3 and command them: Take twelve stones from this place in the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you spend the night.”

Joshua 4:4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had secured from the Israelites, one man for each tribe,

Joshua 4:5 and said to them, “Go across to the ark of Yahveh your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes,

Joshua 4:6 so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you? ‘

Joshua 4:7 You should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of Yahveh’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore, these stones will be a permanent[1] memorial for the Israelites.

Joshua 4:8 The Israelites did just like Joshua had commanded them. The twelve men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just like Yahveh had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there.

Joshua 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are still there today.

Joshua 4:10 The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that Yahveh had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people rushed across,

Joshua 4:11 and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of Yahveh crossed in the sight of the people.

Joshua 4:12 As Moses had instructed them, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation at the front line of the Israelites.

Joshua 4:13 About forty thousand equipped for war crossed to the plains of Jericho in Yahveh’s presence.

Joshua 4:14 On that day Yahveh exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him throughout his life, like they had revered Moses.

Joshua 4:15 Yahveh told Joshua,

Joshua 4:16 “Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up from the Jordan.”

Joshua 4:17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”

Joshua 4:18 When the priests carrying the ark of Yahveh’s covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on the solid ground, the water of the Jordan resumed its course, flowing over all the banks like before.

Joshua 4:19 The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.

Joshua 4:20 Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan,

Joshua 4:21: He said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’

Joshua 4:22 You should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground’

Joshua 4:23 because Yahveh, your God, dried up the water of the Jordan in front of you until you had crossed over, just like Yahveh, your God, did to the Red Sea, which he dried up in front of us until we had crossed over.

Joshua 4:24 This is so that all the peoples of the land may know that Yahveh’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear Yahveh your God.”

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[1] עוֹלָם = permanent. Joshua 4:7; 8:28; 14:9; long ago Joshua 24:2.

Joshua 4 quotes:

“The story of chapter 3 picks up again in Joshua 4:14. The first thirteen verses explain why the tribes chose twelve representatives (3:12). These representatives were to pick up rocks that would be fitting memorials to the crossing of the Jordan. The importance of this endeavor is underlined by the repetition of the commands as coming from God and Joshua and the note that the stones are to be a memorial to the people (lit. sons or descendants) of Israel forever (4:7). Children would ask about the stones, and adults could tell them the story of the victorious crossing (4:6).”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 37.

“God stopped the flow of the Jordan for the practical reason of giving his people access to the Land of Promise. God did it ultimately so that his people would recognize his power and reverence him (4:24). They would be assured that when they faced seemingly insurmountable obstacles, they could trust God to work in their behalf.”

Lyles, Ron, et al. Joshua and Judges. 1st ed, Baptistway Press, 2005. p. 38.

“The memorial stones are designed to keep alive in Israel the memory of the miracle wrought by the Lord: when the Covenant Box crossed the Jordan into Canaan, the Jordan stopped flowing and the people crossed on dry land. They did as their fathers had done when they ey. the Sea of Reeds on dry land as they left Egypt.”

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 46.

Joshua 4 links:

confidence in the captain
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, June 17, 2019
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 5, 2015
miracle memorial
missions and memory
the power behind the grace
when your children ask

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library

Joshua 3     

Joshua 3:1 Joshua started early the following day and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing.

Joshua 3:2 After three days, the officers went through the camp

Joshua 3:3 commanding the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahveh your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.

Joshua 3:4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it so that you can see the way to walk because you haven’t traveled this way before.”

Joshua 3:5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves because Yahveh will do miracles among you tomorrow.”

Joshua 3:6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.

Joshua 3:7 Yahveh spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just like I was with Moses.

Joshua 3:8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the water, stand in the Jordan.”

Joshua 3:9 Then Joshua told the Israelites, “Come closer and listen to the words of Yahveh your God.”

Joshua 3:10 He said, “You will know that the living God is among you and that he will undoubtedly dispossess the Canaanites, Hethites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites before you.

Joshua 3:11 when the ark of the covenant of Yahveh of the whole land goes ahead of you into the Jordan.

Joshua 3:12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.

Joshua 3:13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of Yahveh, Yahveh of the whole land, come to rest in the Jordan’s water, its water will be cut off.[1] The water flowing downstream will stand up in a mass.”

Joshua 3:14 When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.

Joshua 3:15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge.

Joshua 3:16 and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah – the Dead Sea – was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho.

Joshua 3:17 The priests carrying the ark of Yahveh’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all of Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

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[1]  כָּרָת = cut off, exterminate, make a treaty or covenant. Joshua 3:13, 16; 4:7; 7:9; 9:6, 7, 11, 15, 16, 23; 11:21; 23:4; 24:25.

Joshua 3 quotes:

“The action of the story slows down in the crossing narrative (Josh. 3-4). Commands are repeated and events are described in laborious detail to indicate the importance of crossing the Jordan for the faith of Israel. The narrator also describes a liturgical drama that would be used for instruction of the young. The fords of the Jordan River and then Gilgal, the camp after Israel crossed the river, become the central locations for the narrative and the events to follow. The Israelite narrator’s point of view dominates the two chapters. Officers, Joshua, the Lord, and finally Joshua again give commands. Then the tribes cross the Jordan as a result of their obedience and God’s miracle.”

Harris J. Gordon et al. Joshua Judges Ruth. Hendrickson Publishers ; Paternoster Press 2000. p. 32.

“After certain preparatory communications and actions took place (Joshua 3:1-6), the Lord instructed Joshua concerning the crossing of the Jordan River (Josh. 3:7-8). Then Joshua communicated further words to the people (3:9-13).”

Lyles, Ron, et al. Joshua and Judges. 1st ed, Baptistway Press, 2005. p. 34.

“At Joshua’s command all necessary preparations are made, and the Israelites cross to the west bank of the Jordan River and so set foot on Canaan, the promised land. The passage is accomplished by a miraculous cessation of the flow of the river, recalling the drying up of the Sea of Reeds at the departure from Egypt. Memorial stones in the Jordan and at Gilgal, on the west side of the river, mark the event. Everything is ready for the conquest of the land.”

Bratcher Robert G and Barclay Moon Newman. A Handbook on the Book of Joshua. United Bible Societies 1992. p. 36.

Joshua 3 links:

a miracle for a mission
ACST 2 The Promise
following the ark
getting ready for missions
God alone is Immortal
God is Different
hurry up and wait
Maranatha Daily Devotional – Monday, June 19, 2023
Maranatha Daily Devotional – October 3, 2015
not too close
passing the ark
the commander’s commander
wet feet

The JOSHUA shelf in Jeff’s library