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.
The first attempt by Israel to take Ai
involved two to three thousand men and resulted not only in their defeat but
the loss of thirty-six lives. That's approximately 1-2% and would probably be
considered an acceptable loss in most operations of combat.
It was obviously not acceptable to
Joshua. It was not acceptable to those families most closely affected. These
thirty-six had:
- parents
- uncles
- brothers and
- sisters
They very probably had
- wives and
- children
They were not only soldiers but
- citizens of Israel
- members of their
tribe in Israel and
- relatives of their
family in that tribe
With their loss came the loss of hopes,
futures and industry. Their wives would need comfort. Their children would need
instruction. They would not be there to claim their portion of the Promised
Land. They would not be there to help increase their tribes opportunities in
the Land.
They are lost.
All because one man chose disobedience,
selfishness and covetousness.
Some would accuse Achan's punishment of
being harsh. Why death? Why his family? Why his goods with him? Because this
one man's actions, and his family's decision to help him in the act, stole all
these and more:
- from the thirty-six
- from their families
and
- from the promises
of God
Joshua 7:5 Consequences of sin
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