Immediately after the miraculous fall of Jericho, Israel was met with an unexpected and crushing defeat. But rather than pausing to examine themselves as a people, to search their own hearts or to question their collective disobedience, they sought out a single person to blame. The loss was not processed as a moment for national repentance, but as an offence to be investigated and pinned on an individual.
The Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel – Joshua 7:1 (NIV)
The Failed Battle of Ai
After the triumph at Jericho, Joshua prepared for the next campaign. Joshua sent spies from Jericho to scout the city of Ai. After surveying the area, the men reported back that Ai was sparsely populated and advised that only two or three thousand soldiers would be needed, suggesting there was no need to involve the entire army.
Joshua assessed the report about Ai, and with seemingly sound judgment, decided that only a small force was needed. Placing his confidence in the report brought back by the spies, Joshua sent around three thousand men, but they were routed. Thirty-six Israelite soldiers died that day, and the hearts of the people melted in fear. This defeat was not due to military miscalculation alone. It was the result of relying on human wisdom while neglecting the counsel of God. Joshua, who had waited on the Lord at Jericho, now moved forward without seeking His direction. The Israelites acted in presumption rather than prayer.
Joshua had once been among the twelve spies sent by Moses to survey the land, and at that time, he boldly opposed the fearful report that contradicted God’s promise. Yet now, in hindsight, we see a striking contrast—Joshua accepted the spies’ report about Ai without first seeking the Lord. Despite his past discernment, he failed to consult God in this moment, relying instead on human assessment.
There is a danger when we lean on our own understanding. What appears reasonable to us may be far from what God desires. His ways are not our ways. When we rely on our own logic, we often miss the reality behind our circumstances. Many times, people prefer to act on their own because they crave control. They want the freedom to choose their path, or they have not yet come to trust God’s guidance fully, perhaps because they have never truly experienced His leading.
Joshua Questions God
And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!” – Joshua 7:7 (NIV)
Even those who walk closely with God often find that their first instinct in times of trouble is to question Him. Why is it that, like Joshua and even David, our immediate response is doubt? David once asked, “What then will you do for your great name?”—a desperate appeal after failure. We falter, we misstep, and then we ask God to rescue the situation and bring glory to His name, as though His plans must bend to our errors.
Joshua had witnessed the miraculous: the parting of the Jordan and the fall of Jericho’s mighty walls. He had seen what God could do with nothing but obedience and faith. And yet, after one defeat, he asked, “Why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan?” It’s a question born not of ignorance, but of fear—fear that perhaps they should never have left the safety of the other side.
Crossing the Jordan marked a step out of comfort and into trust. But enemy territory always tests the heart. When things go wrong, we begin to think we would have been better off never stepping out in faith at all. We imagine safety in what we already have, unaware of the fullness of what God has prepared for us beyond our grasp.
With God, we often live by the principle: better a bird in the hand than two in the bush. We settle. We cling to the familiar. Yet in every other area of life—wealth, pleasure, ambition—our thirst is insatiable. We pursue more. But with God, we become easily satisfied with less. We must examine our response to failure. Do we retreat to our comfort zones, or do we blame God? Or do we return to the God who parted rivers and brought down walls, and trust Him to lead us again, even in defeat?
The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.” – Joshua 7:10-11 (NIV)
God issues a clear and stern warning: Remove the things that draw you away from Me. The choice is ours—it has always been. He will not force Himself upon us, but He will not share His presence with what is set apart for destruction. Each of us must confront the “devoted things” in our lives—the habits, desires, or compromises that pull us away from God. These are the very things that lead us toward ruin while giving us a false sense of control or fulfilment.
If we genuinely want to grow closer to God, we must make room for Him. And that begins with love. To love God is to turn from what grieves Him. If we love God, we will hate what is evil. As we choose to draw near to Him, we begin to see that He was never far. He has been waiting all along—for us to let go of what separates us from Him.
Joshua’s Response
The next morning, Joshua brought the tribes of Israel forward, and through a process of selection, the guilt was traced to Achan of the tribe of Judah. When confronted, Achan confessed that he had taken a beautiful Babylonian robe, silver, and gold from the plunder and hidden them in his tent. Messengers confirmed the stolen items were buried just as he had said.
Joshua then gathered all of Israel and brought Achan, his family, and all his possessions to the Valley of Achor. There, Achan and his household were stoned and burned. A great heap of stones was raised over him, and God’s anger was turned away from Israel. The place was named the Valley of Achor, meaning “trouble,” as a lasting reminder of the cost of disobedience.
Let’s take a moment to think about the verdict. Was this truly what God wanted Joshua to do? It doesn’t seem so. Nowhere does God say that the children or the entire family of Achan must be killed. The command was to remove the devoted things—not necessarily to destroy the people. God wants us to purge evil, but we often go looking for a scapegoat to purge instead. We focus on punishing a person rather than confronting the sinful act or the condition of the heart that led to it.
God judges the heart. The greatest sin we commit is not walking in His ways. When we choose to walk our own path, when we disregard His commands, that is the root of rebellion. It is not merely about stolen possessions—it’s about a heart that turns away from God. Achan did sin, but so did the Israelites, who were unfaithful. Yet their instinct was not to weep corporately or seek the Lord’s counsel together—it was to isolate the fault and push it away from themselves.
We often respond the same way. When things go wrong—whether in our homes, churches, or workplaces—we search for a scapegoat. We point fingers, whisper names, and find relief in placing the burden of guilt on someone else’s shoulders. Rather than looking for scapegoats to blame for our lack of trust in God, we must understand that true wisdom begins with reverence for God, not strategic thinking. The defeat at Ai is a teachable moment both for the Israelites and us that, without God’s presence, even our most logical plans can lead to disaster.
Discussion Questions
- Why didn’t Joshua seek the Lord’s counsel before sending troops against Ai?
- Even those who walk closely with God often find themselves doubting Him. Why is second-guessing God’s ways so often our first response?
- How is God’s warning to Joshua applicable to us today?
- Did God truly require the blood of Achan and his entire family as a form of penance, or was His command only to eliminate the devoted things from among the people?
The Jordan Valley 
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