Achan's sin brings defeat at Ai
Israel fled before Ai because Achan had secretly taken what was devoted to destruction at Jericho. The LORD exposed the sin by lot, Achan confessed, and judgment fell in the Valley of Achor (Joshua 7:1-26).
In the conquest's opening years, after 1451 BC
1The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites. 2Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3On returning to Joshua, they reported, “There is no need to send all the people; two or three thousand men are enough to go up and attack Ai. Since the people of Ai are so few, you need not wear out all our people there.”
