Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing.(verse 13 below), for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing and the anger of God was kindled against the children of Israel. 

Joshua 7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai.(Ai was a Canaanite royal city, apparently attached to Heshbon, where the Ammonites were on the east bank of the Jordan; original for word Ai denotes.'perverse', 'crooked', 'wrong', 'heap of ruins'; Ai was a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven {map} near Jericho.(Judges 1:16).and was the second city taken on the invasion of the land of Canaan, known as the promised land:.Exodus 3:8; Numbers 33:51-53; Deuteronomy 7:17), which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 

Joshua 7:3-11 And they returned to Joshua and said unto him, Let not all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai and make not all the people to labor thither, for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men, for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down, wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water. And Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the Earth upon his face before the ark of God until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads. And Joshua said, Alas, O God, wherefore have you at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would to you we had been content and dwelt on the other side Jordan! O God, what shall I say, when Israel turns their backs before their enemies! For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it and shall circle us round and cut off our name from the Earth and what will that do unto your great name? And God said unto Joshua, Get up. Why are you lying like that upon your face? Israel has sinned and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them, for they have even taken of the accursed thing and have also stolen and dissembled also and they have put it even among their own stuff. 

Joshua 7:12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but they turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed. Neither will I be with you any more, except you destroy the accursed from among you.

Joshua 7:13 Up, sanctify the people and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow. For thus says the God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of you, O Israel. You can not stand before your enemies, until you take away the accursed thing from among you.

The 'accursed thing' is following evil to the point of searing one's conscience and these who were like this were of the ancient bloodlines of Cain. Their minds were poisoned, putting them on a corrupt pathway:.1Timothy 4:1,2. It involves not following what God intended to be good for all. 

Achan's example. God said this:.Joshua 6:17. And Achan didn't follow Joshua:.Eastons Revised Bible Dictionary: Achan, also called Achar, means 'one who troubles' 1Chronicles 2:7. This was in commemoration of his crime which brought upon him an awful destruction:.Joshua 7:1.

On the occasion of the fall of Jericho, he seized, contrary to the divine command, an ingot of gold, a quantity of silver and a costly Babylonish garment, which he hid in his tent. Joshua was convinced that the defeat which the Israelites afterwards sustained before Ai was a proof of the divine displeasure on account of some crime and he at once adopted means by the use of the lot for discovering the criminal. It was then found that Achan was guilty and he was stoned to death in the valley of Achor. He and all that belonged to him were then consumed by fire and a heap of stones was raised over the ashes.

But why were they such and others were not?

A poisoned mind is an 'unsane' mind and involves rejecting and getting away from the good that God wanted for those of humanity:.Jeremiah 44:16,17. One example, God would say not to bring back anything of the enemies which were destroyed, but they did anyway, because they looked to their selfishness, 'more for me if I take this now', attitude:.1Samuel 15:19-22. They just didn't trust in God's ability to look after them.

The 'accursed thing' involved rejecting God.(Hosea 4:6).and choosing instead to have idols, which ancient Israel did, even bringing them into their houses for worshiping. The low consciousness of man wants something he or she can see, feel and touch and be theirs.
   With their, on and off so many times relationship with God, one has to wonder what was wrong with their minds? They constantly left God. After every time God would save them, they got into trouble again and again and again. They lacked the solidifying force we have today, which is the Holy Spirit.

Joshua 7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has. Because he has transgressed the covenant of God and because he has wrought folly in Israel.

Joshua 7:16-19 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes and the tribe of Judah was taken. And he brought the family of Judah and he took the family of the Zarhites. And he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man and Zabdi was taken. And he brought his household man by man and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what you have done. Hide it not from me.

Joshua 7:20,21 And Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against the God of Israel and thus and thus have I done. When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them and took them and behold, they are hid in the Earth in the midst of my tent and the silver under it.

Joshua 7:22-24 So Joshua sent messengers and they ran unto the tent and, behold, it was hid in his tent and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of the tent and brought them unto Joshua and unto all the children of Israel and laid them out before God. And Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah and the silver and the garment and the wedge of gold and his sons and his daughters and his oxen and his asses and his sheep and his tent and all that he had and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.

Joshua 7:25,26 And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us?.(how was the nation in trouble?.Joshua 7:13). Because of what you did God shall trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones and burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So God turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Joshua 8:1-24 And God said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai and his people and his city and his land. And do to Ai and her king as you did unto Jericho and her king, only the spoil thereof and the cattle thereof, shall you take for a prey unto yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it. So Joshua arose and all the people of war, to go up against Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand mighty men of valor and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, you shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city. Go not very far from the city, but keep yourselves ready. And I and all the people that are with me will approach unto the city and it shall come to pass when they come out against us as at the first, that we will flee before them, For they will come out after us, till we have drawn them from the city, for they will say, They flee before us as at the first, therefore we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize upon the city, for God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when you have taken the city that you shall set the city on fire as I commanded you. Joshua therefore sent them forth and they went to lie in ambush and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai, but Joshua lodged that night among the people. And Joshua rose up early in the morning and numbered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. And all the people of war that were with him, went up and drew nigh and came before the city and pitched on the north side of Ai, for there was a valley between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set all this up with the warriors that were at the north of the city and their liers in wait group on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw them coming, they hasted and rose up early and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle at the time they determined, but he didn't know that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them and fled by the way of the wilderness. And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them and they pursued after Joshua and his group which drew them all out and away from their city. There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel and they left the city open and pursued after Israel. And God said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give the city into thinyoure hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and they entered into the city and took it and hasted and set the city on fire. And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw the fire and behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven.(the fire was already massively burning).and they weren't sure which way to go, whether to flee this way or that way, as Joshua's group turned around and faced the Ai pursuers. And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they charged the warriors of Ai and slew them. And the people that were remained in Ai when the warriors left for battle came out against Israel. So they were between both Joshua groups now, some on this side and some on that side. Joshua's groups smote them all, none of them remained or escaped. But the king of Ai they took alive and brought him to Joshua. And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field in the wilderness wherein they chased them and when they were all fallen by the the sword until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai and smote those few still there.

Joshua 8:25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, including all the men of Ai.(Joshua 10:1,2). 

Joshua 8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

Joshua 8:27-29 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according to the word God said unto Joshua. And Joshua burnt Ai and made it an heap forever a desolation unto this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remains unto this day.

Joshua 8:31 As Moses the servant of God commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses.(Joshua 10:1,2.also known by other names), an altar of whole stones, over which no man has lift up any iron and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto God and sacrificed peace offerings.(Jeremiah 7:22).

Joshua 8:32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses.(also known by other names), which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

Joshua 8:33-35 And all Israel, their elders, officers and judges, stood on this side of the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of God, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim and half of them over against mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of God had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings.(*), according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women and the little ones and the strangers that were conversant among them.

Joshua 9:1-6 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills and in the valleys and in all the coasts of the great sea.(the Mediterranean Sea).over against Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.(who were all these?.Genesis 15:19-21), heard thereof; That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. And when these inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their asses and wine bottles, old and rent.(torn; wine was then put into dried animal skins).and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet and old garments upon them and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country. Now therefore make you a league with us.

Joshua 9:7-9 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure you dwell among us and how shall we make a league with you? And they said unto Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you? and from whence come you? And they said unto him, From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of the Lord your God, for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt. 

Joshua 9:10-13 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them, We are your servants; therefore now make a league with us. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you, but now, behold, it is dry and it is mouldy and these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new and behold, they be rent and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Joshua 9:14 And the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

So, this old food that they had carried with them was not consulted first to God about. Back then they used what was called the Urim and Thummin to consult God on matters. According to the customs of Eastern nations, these people were welcomed to peace and friendship. Their contrived story was accepted, instead of seeking the direction of God in the matter.

Joshua 9:15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a league with them, to let them live and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.(agreed that they too would uphold this decision of peace with them).

Joshua 9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.(and were not as they said they were, from far away, verses 7-9 above).

Joshua 9:17-24 And the children of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel and therefore we may not touch them. This we will do to them. We will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. And the princes said unto them, Let them live, but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation as the princes had promised them. And Joshua called for them and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have you beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you, when you actually dwell among us? Now therefore you are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told your servants how that the Lord your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you and have done this thing.

Joshua 9:25-27 And now, behold, we are in thine hand. As it seems good and right unto you to do unto us, do that. And so did he unto them and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

Joshua 10:1,2 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem.(a king over the city of Jerusalem in the time of Joshua).had heard how Joshua had taken Ai.(a Canaanite royal city, apparently attached to Heshbon, where the Ammonites were on the east bank of the Jordan).and had utterly destroyed it, as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel.and were among those they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities and because it was greater than Ai because all the men thereof were mighty.(original 'strong & brave').

Joshua 10:3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron and unto Piram king of Jarmuth and unto Japhia king of Lachish and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 

Joshua 10:4,5 Come up unto me and help me, that we may smite Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together and went up, they and all their hosts and encamped before Gibeon and made war against it.

Joshua 10:6,7 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him and all the mighty men of valor. 

Joshua 10:8 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not, for I have delivered them into your hand. There shall not a man of them stand before you.

When on the side of God, any enemies are at a disadvantage.

Joshua 10:9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly and went up from Gilgal all night.

Joshua 10:10 And the Lord discomfited them before Israel and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon and chased them along the way that goes up to Bethhoron and smote them to Azekah and unto Makkedah.

Joshua 10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah and they died. They were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

Joshua 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still upon Gibeon and you Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

Joshua 10:13 And the sun stood still and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 

Joshua 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.

Joshua 10:15-19 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. But these five kings fled and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave and set men by it for to keep them. And stay you not, but pursue after your enemies and smite the hindmost of them. Suffer them not to enter into their cities, for the Lord your God has delivered them into your hand.

Joshua 10:20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.

Joshua 10:21,22 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace. None moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.

Joshua 10:23 And they did so and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon.

Joshua 10:24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near and put their feet upon the necks of them.

Joshua 10:25,26 And Joshua said unto his captains, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage, for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight. And afterward Joshua smote those kings and slew them and hanged them on five trees and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

Joshua 10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded and they took them down off the trees and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

Joshua 10:28-41 And that day Joshua took Makkedah and smote it with the edge of the sword and the king thereof he utterly destroyed them and all the souls that were therein. He let none remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho. Then Joshua passed from Makkedah and all Israel with him, unto Libnah and fought against Libnah. And the Lord delivered it also and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel and Joshua smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein. He let none remain in it but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho. And Joshua passed from Libnah and all Israel with him, unto Lachish and encamped against it and fought against it. And the Lord delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah. Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining. And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon and all Israel with him and they encamped against it and fought against it and they took it on that day and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish. And Joshua went up from Eglon and all Israel with him, unto Hebron and they fought against it. And they took it and smote it with the edge of the sword and the king thereof and all the cities thereof and all the souls that were therein. He left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon, but destroyed it utterly and all the souls that were therein. And Joshua returned and all Israel with him, to Debir and fought against it. And he took it and the king thereof and all the cities thereof and they smote them with the edge of the sword and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein. He left none remaining. As he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir and to the king thereof. As he had done also to Libna and to her king. So Joshua smote all the country of the hills and of the south and of the vale and of the springs and all their kings. He left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded. And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

Joshua 10:42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.

God wanted these corrupt bloodlines done away with, as they were satanic creations.

....continues to Chapter 11

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