Discovery BoxJoshua 7:6-15 
Context7:6 Joshua tore his clothes; 1 he and the leaders 2 of Israel lay face down on the ground before the ark of the Lord until evening 3 and threw dirt on their heads. 4 7:7 Joshua prayed, 5 “O, Master, Lord! Why did you bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites so they could destroy us? 7:8 If only we had been satisfied to live on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated 6 before its enemies? 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will turn against us and destroy the very memory of us 7 from the earth. What will you do to protect your great reputation?” 8
7:10 The Lord responded 9 to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying there face down? 10 7:11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenantal commandment! 11 They have taken some of the riches; 12 they have stolen them and deceitfully put them among their own possessions. 13 7:12 The Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they retreat because they have become subject to annihilation. 14 I will no longer be with you, 15 unless you destroy what has contaminated you. 16 7:13 Get up! Ritually consecrate the people and tell them this: ‘Ritually consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, because the Lord God of Israel says, “You are contaminated, 17 O Israel! You will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove what is contaminating you.” 18 7:14 In the morning you must approach in tribal order. 19 The tribe the Lord selects 20 must approach by clans. The clan the Lord selects must approach by families. 21 The family the Lord selects must approach man by man. 22 7:15 The one caught with the riches 23 must be burned up 24 along with all who belong to him, because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel.’”
1 sn Tearing one’s clothes was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Gen 37:34; 44:13).
2 tn Or “elders.”
3 tn Heb “and fell on his face to the ground before the ark of the
4 sn Throwing dirt on one’s head was an outward expression of extreme sorrow (see Lam 2:10; Ezek 27:30).
5 tn Heb “said.”
6 tn Heb “turned [the] back.”
7 tn Heb “and cut off our name.”
8 tn Heb “What will you do for your great name?”
9 tn Heb “said.”
10 tn Heb “Why are you falling on your face?”
11 tn Heb “They have violated my covenant which I commanded them.”
12 tn Heb “what was set apart [to the
13 tn Heb “and also they have stolen, and also they have lied, and also they have placed [them] among their items.”
14 tn Heb “they turn [the] back before their enemies because they are set apart [to destruction by the
15 tn The second person pronoun is plural in Hebrew, indicating these words are addressed to the entire nation.
16 tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the
17 tn Heb “what is set apart [to destruction by the
18 tn Heb “remove what is set apart [i.e., to destruction by the
19 tn Heb “by your tribes.”
20 tn Heb “takes forcefully, seizes.”
21 tn Heb “houses.”
22 tn Heb “by men.”
23 tn Heb “with what was set apart [to the
24 tn Heb “burned with fire.”
