Joshua 7:1-13 ▼

1 But yet the chyldren of Israel trespassed in ye forbydden thyng: for Achan ye sonne of Charmi, the sonne of Zabdi, ye sonne of Zareth, of the tribe of Iuda, toke of the forbydden thyng: And the wrath of the Lorde waxed hot against the chyldren of Israel.

2 And Iosuah sent men from Iericho to Ai, which is besyde Bethauen, on the east syde of Bethel, and spake vnto them, saying: Get you vp, and viewe the countrey. And the men went vp, & viewed Ai,

3 And returned to Iosuah, and sayde vnto him, Let not all the people go vp: but let as it were two or three thousande men go vp, and smyte Ai: and make not all the people to labour thyther, for they are but fewe.

4 And so there went vp thyther of the people about a three thousande men, and they fled before the men of Ai.

5 And the men of Ai smote of them vpon a thirtie and sixe men: for they chased them from before the gate euen vnto Sebarim, and smote them in the goyng downe: Wherfore the heartes of the people for feare melted away lyke water.

6 And Iosuah rent his clothes, & fell to the earth vpo his face before the arke of the Lorde vntill the euentide, he and the elders of Israel, and put earth vpon their heades.

7 And Iosuah sayde: Alas, O Lorde God, wherfore hast thou brought this people ouer Iordane, to deliuer vs into the hande of the Amorites, & to destroye vs? Would to God we had ben content, and dwelt on the other side Iordane.

8 Oh Lorde what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backes before their enemies?

9 Surely the Chanaanites, and all the inhabitauntes of the lande shal heare of it, and shall conspire against vs, and destroy the name of vs out of the worlde: And what wilt thou do vnto thy mightie name?

10 And the Lorde sayde vnto Iosuah: Get thee vp, wherfore liest thou thus vpon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they haue transgressed myne appointment which I commaunded them: for they haue taken of the excommunicate thinges, and haue also stolen, and dissembled also, & put them vnto their owne stuffe.

12 And therfore is it that the children of Israel can not stande before their enemies, but shal turne their backes before their enemies, because they be excommunicate: Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the excommunicate from among you.

13 Up therfore and sanctifie the people, and say: Sanctifie your selues against to morowe, for so sayde the Lorde God of Israel, there is a dampned thyng among you, O Israel: and therfore ye cannot stande against your enemies, vntyll ye haue put the dampned thing from among you.