Ambush Ai

By Mary Vee

Joshua 7-8

Joshua's Thoughts

Achan's confession surprised everyone in the camp.

I'd sent messengers to his tent right after he told us the robe, gold wedge, and money pouch had been buried there. What I can't understand is why he took those things.

Before our battle with Jericho, the Lord gave clear instructions not to take anything except offerings for Him. God wanted to remind us to give the first of everything to Him.  I thought all the Israelites understood.

The messengers dug under Achan's tent and found everything where he said. They brought the robe, gold wedge, and money and set them on the ground before me and all the Israelites. I pointed to the stolen things and asked Achan, "Why did you bring us this trouble? You knew we couldn't keep anything from that battle."

He didn't answer.

We took Achan to a valley nearby and punished him as the Lord's instructioned including burning the robe, gold wedge, and pouch of money he stole.

That night the Lord spoke to me. "Joshua, take an army to battle against Ai.  I will be with you. This time, you and all the Israelites may keep any animals or other things you take." He then gave me a really great plan.

I left right away with a large army to Ai, as the Lord instructed. We camped on the north side of the city for the night.  The next morning I sent some of my best warriors south of the city. But before they left, I repeated God's battle plan. "Listen men. When you see Ai's army chase after us, leaving their city unprotected, run in and conquer it."

Everyone said they understood what to do.

I waited for those men to sneak around to the south side of Ai then led the rest of my men forward. Sure enough, once we reached the valley, Ai's guards saw us. The battle cry rang from the city's walls. "Here come the Israelites. Chase after them and leave no prisoners!"


God's plan worked perfectly!  The city gate opened and their army poured into the valley chasing after us.

We ran toward the woods crying and screaming as if we were scared they'd kill us all.  Ai's army followed, laughing with each step.  "You call yourselves warriors, yet you run.  We'll show you who has the better army."

Once we'd run a far distance, I turned and saw smoke rising from Ai. The army commander saw me signal my army to look back at the city.  He looked back, also.  Black smoke bubbled higher into the air.

Ai's army commander yelled, "It's a trap! Flee back to the city!"

Too late.

With the help of the Lord, my men and I chased Ai's army back to the valley and conquered them.  My best warriors, still inside the city, found the king of Ai and brought him to me.

I killed the king then sent my army back to the city to get their reward. They gathered animals, clothes, food, and anything else they wanted before setting fire to the rest of the buildings.

That night I built an altar to the Lord. We offered our thanks and sang praises to the Lord.  I wrote a copy of the law of Moses in front of all the Israelite people then read every word to them. The men, women, and children of Israel listened and worshipped God. 


I am thankful for God's plan today.


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1. Where did Achan hide the things he stole?
2. What did Joshua do with the stolen things?
3. Now that the thief had been found, what did God give Joshua permission to do?
4. What was the battle plan? Who gave the idea for the plan?
5. Who won the battle?
6. What did Joshua and the people do after the battle?
7. What did you learn from this story?

Achan's Confession

By Mary Vee
Joshua 7

Achan's Thoughts

Joshua, the Israelite leader, and all the elders came back to the camp last night after spending time with God. Although they didn't speak to each other, their angry faces showed us something went wrong.


We lost the battle at Ai yesterday. No one knew why. Joshua and the elders walked to a place outside of camp to talk with God.  The news must not have been good.

Joshua sent messengers throughout the camp calling for a meeting in the morning. I wondered what he'd say. Did God have new instructions? Maybe we shouldn't have attacked Ai.

The next morning I led my household to the meeting place and sat with others in our family.  Joshua stood and raised his arms to quiet everyone. "The Lord told me we lost at Ai because one of our people sinned. Someone stole from the city of Jericho and hid what he took here in the camp." He lowered his arms and closed his hands into a tight fist. Joshua was mad.

I thought about the beautiful robe, wedge of gold, and money pouch hidden in my tent. The soft material and bright colors would make me look important at a fancy dinner. No one saw me take them from the Jericho house or hide them in my tent.  Nope. No one knew. 

Our leader cleared his throat. "The Lord said we would not win any battles until the stolen things were destroyed." 

He stared at each of us as if waiting for someone to confess. I wouldn't. I would keep the robe and money hidden until this whole situation would be forgotten.

Joshua called the leaders of each tribe forward. He stepped in front of each man then turned to the people. "The Lord showed me the sin is in Judah's tribe. The rest of you men may sit."


The leader of Judah, my tribe, stayed in front.  Joshua looked at our families. He waited a few minutes again. Perhaps he still wanted the guilty person to confess. I wished he would, too. Then we could get back to work.



Joshua shook his head then took a deep breath. "Every family leader from the tribe of Judah must come forward."  A large group of men stood and walked toward him, including the leader of my family, the Zarhites. 

Joshua had them form a line then he stood before each one, like he did with the tribal leaders.  He stopped in front of the leader of the Zarhites. "Your family. The Lord showed me the sin is in your family." The other leaders sat down.  Joshua look toward the Zarhite families. He just stood there and waited for a moment.  I wanted to go back to my tent, dig up the robe, and rub the rich material against my skin. I wished he'd hurry and get done.


Joshua walked toward the Zarhite families. He went to each man, one by one and stopped in front of  Zabdi, my grandfather.  I must admit, I started to feel nervous.  The robe, gold, and money pouch couldn't have caused all this trouble?  No. It must have been bigger. One of my cousins must have stolen something of great value. I was sure I didn't cause the problem.

Joshua went to each of grandfather's sons, including Camri, my dad.  He stopped when he reached my dad. "The sin is in your household. Have you sons stand before me."

I looked at my brothers and wondered which one had caused the trouble. Joshua walked to each of us until he came to me.  He stopped right in front of me. Me? Why did he stare at me?

Joshua shook his head. "My son, I beg you. Give glory to the Lord God of Israel. Confess what you have done. Don't hide any of the truth from me."  


All of Israel stared at me with angry faces. The robe I loved hurt all these people?

Tears dripped down my face.  "I--I--" My knees fell to the ground. "I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel. When I saw a beautiful robe in a Jericho house, a pouch of money, and a gold wedge I--I wanted them with all my heart. I took them and hid them in the ground under my tent.  I--" How could I say anything else? My sin had hurt all of Israel.


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1.  What battle did Israel lose?
2.  Why did they lose?
3.  Why was Joshua angry?
4.  How did Joshua figure out who sinned?
5.  What did Achan do?
6.  What did you learn from this story?

Photo courtesy of:   Christian Images Resource

Defeat and Revelation

By Mary Vee
Joshua 7

Joshua's Thoughts

The battle of Jericho ended in an awesome victory.  


God showed His mighty power by knocking down the city walls in a thundering flash. Our army didn't have to work hard to finish the battle. We gathered gold and silver from the city as a gift for the Lord then destroyed everything else in the city.


To make sure every person obeyed God's command to not keep anything, each soldier had to pass by me before they went to their tent.  I walked each man to the Lord's treasury, then watched him set all the gold and silver coins or bars he took into the offering. Before I let him leave I asked, "Did you take anything else from Jericho?" Each man answered, "No."


We celebrated our first successful battle in the Promised Land for a few days before returning to the work God assigned. 


The next city on our list to conquer was Ai.  I sent a few scouts to look at the city and decide how many soldiers would be needed for an attack.  When the group returned they reported, "My Lord, Joshua, the city of Ai is small. There's no need to send all our soldiers into battle. Two or three thousand men will be enough to conquer the city."


The next day I sent three thousand men to Ai.  By nightfall most of the men had returned tired, afraid, and disappointed. I asked, "What happened to the missing men? What went wrong?"


Several stepped forward. "My Lord, we fell into a quick defeat. Thirty-six of our men lost their lives before we had a chance to attack. Maybe they knew we were coming. I don't know. But this is a fact, the Lord God Almighty did not protect us in this battle."


I dismissed the men to their homes then walked to the ark of the Lord.  How could we have lost? I bowed before the ark and wept. "Oh, my Lord, why has this happened?" I tore my clothes and fell to the ground, laying flat on the earth until the sun set.  


The elders of the camp joined me. We put ashes on our heads and cried out to God. "Why? Why did you bring us across the Jordan River? Will you let the Amorites destroy us?  What will happen when the people of this land hear we lost this battle? They'll think we're weak and set out to attack us." The elders and I cried until the Lord answered.


God spoke to me, "Joshua, get up. Why do you lie on the ground crying to me? Israel has sinned. I instructed you and the people to take nothing from Jericho for yourselves, yet things have been stolen from that city and hidden in the Israelite camp. How could the children of Israel win a battle when their backs are turned to me?" 


The Lord continued, "Unless you destroy the stolen items, I won't stay with you. Call everyone together. Tell them to prepare for a special meeting tomorrow. At that time I will reveal the thief."


A thief? How did that happen? I asked each soldier if they took anything from Jericho. I watched each one put gold and silver coins in the Lord's treasury before I let him returned to camp.  Who dared to lie to me and bring the Lord's anger on us?


The elders and I returned to the camp late that night. Well, they walked, I stomped. I wanted to know right away who lied and stole, but God said the people needed to prepare for the meeting, which means I have to wait until tomorrow.  


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When we sin, the Lord will let people around us discover the truth.  Even when we think no one is looking, God sees.


1.  What was the second city chosen for battle?
2.  Was this considered an easy or difficult battle?
3.  Did the Israelite army win?
4.  Why or why not?
5.  Why did Joshua and the elders cry out to God?
6.  What did God say?
7.  What did Joshua decide to do?