Joshua and the elders of Israel were in great affliction. They lay before the ark of God in most abject humility because the Lord was wroth with His people. They prayed and wept before God. The Lord spoke to Joshua: “Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.” {3T 264.3}

Josva og Israels Ældste var i stor knibe. De lagde sig foran Guds ark med usleste ydmyghed, fordi Herren var vred på sig folk. De bad og græd for Gud. Herren talte til Josua: »Stå op! Hvorfor (265) ligger du på dit ansigt? Israel har syndet, thi de har forbrudt sig imod min pagt, som jeg pålagde dem; de har tilvendt sig noget af det bandlyste, de har stjålet; de har skjult det, de har gemt det i deres oppakning. Derfor kan Israelitterne ikke holde stand over for deres fjender, men må flygte for dem; thi de er hjemfaldne til band! Jeg vil ikke mere være med eder, hvis I ikke bortrydder bandet af eders midte.«