The poor Israelites. One minute they 're up, the next minute they're down. After six days of marching silently around the walls of Jericho, on the seventh day, the walls miraculously fall down, and they are able to capture it and all of the spoils which were to be devoted to the Lord. Although there is no mention of any celebration after Jericho's defeat, it was a marvelous demonstration of God's power, something that Jericho's neighbors took note of for sure, and something that made Israel somewhat cocky.
So, they set their eyes on another city, the small city of Ai, and after spies are sent out, determine that it will be an easy target because there are only a few men in the city. Boy are they wrong. The three thousand men they send are quickly routed and thirty-six of the Israelites are killed. Now they're tearing their clothes and ready for sackcloth and ashes. What happened?
It's simple. Sin had entered their midst. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, was unable to resist the temptation to take part of the plunder from Jericho for himself. "When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath." - Joshua 7:21 NIV
In order to purge the sin from their midst, Achan, all of his family, and all of their possessions are taken to the Valley of Achor where they are stoned and covered with a huge pile of rocks. The Valley of Achor which means troubles is mentioned two more times in the Old Testament. Most notably in Hosea when the prophet who was married to the adulterous woman, prophesies that the Valley of Achor will become a door of hope.
This valley of troubles, is also a valley of redemption. Once the Israelites have purged the sin out of their midst by getting rid of Achan, they were able to defeat the city of Ai. Then they renewed their covenant with the Lord God and Joshua read once more the law with all of the blessings and curses. It's the same story over and over again with these Israelites. They go from high to low and back again to high. From the 'valley of trouble' to the 'door of hope'. It all depends on their obedience.
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