Joshua7

After the victory at Jericho, Israel suffered a defeat at Ai, causing Joshua great distress. The LORD revealed that this setback was due to a trespass: Achan had secretly taken accursed spoils from Jericho, violating God's command. Following divine instruction, Achan was identified and confessed his sin. He was subsequently stoned and burned with his family and possessions in the Valley of Achor, thus appeasing the LORD's anger.

Achan's Sin and Defeat at Ai

1
But the people of Isra'el misappropriated some of the goods set aside to be destroyed; for 'Akhan, the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y'hudah, took some of the things reserved for destruction. In consequence, the anger of ADONAI blazed up against the people of Isra'el. ​
2
Y'hoshua sent men from Yericho to 'Ai, which is next to Beit-Aven, east of Beit-El, telling them to go up and spy out the land. So the men went up, reconnoitered 'Ai, ​
3
returned to Y'hoshua and told him, "Don't have all the people go up; but let perhaps two or three thousand men go up and attack 'Ai. There's no point in making all the people exert themselves to get there, because there are only a few of them." ​
4
So from the people about three thousand men went up there, but they were routed by the men of 'Ai.
5
The men of 'Ai killed some thirty-six of them and chased them from before their gate all the way to Sh'varim, attacking them on the descent. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water. ​

Joshua's Lament and Intercession

6
Y'hoshua tore his clothes and fell to his face on the ground before the ark of ADONAI until evening, he and the leaders of Isra'el, and they put dust on their heads. ​
7
Y'hoshua said, "Oh, Adonai ELOHIM! Why did you take the trouble to bring this people across the Yarden if you meant to hand us over to the Emori and have us perish? We should have been satisfied to live on the other side of the Yarden! ​
8
Oh, ADONAI! What can I say, after Isra'el has turned their backs and retreated before their enemies?
9
For when the Kena'ani and the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe us off the face of the earth. What will you do then to save the honor of your great name?" ​

God Reveals the Sin and Commands Action

10
ADONAI said to Y'hoshua, "Stand up! Why are you lying there face down? ​
11
Isra'el has sinned. Yes, they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them. They have taken some of what was to have been set aside for destruction. They have stolen it, lied about it and put it with their own things. ​
12
This is why the people of Isra'el cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs on their enemies, because they have come under a curse. I won't be with you any more unless you destroy the things meant for destruction that you have with you. ​
13
So get up, consecrate the people, and say, 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for here is what ADONAI the God of Isra'el says: "Isra'el, you have things under the curse of destruction among you; and you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove the things that were to have been destroyed from among you." ​
14
Therefore, tomorrow morning you are to come forward, one tribe at a time; the tribe ADONAI takes is to come forward, one family at a time; the family ADONAI takes is to come forward, one household at a time; and the household ADONAI takes is to come forward, one person at a time. ​
15
The person who is caught with things in his possession that were reserved for destruction is to be burned to ashes, he and everything he has, because he has violated the covenant of ADONAI and has committed a shameful deed in Isra'el.'" ​

The Identification and Confession of Achan

16
So Y'hoshua got up early in the morning and had Isra'el come forward, one tribe at a time; and the tribe of Y'hudah was taken.
17
He had the families of Y'hudah come forward and took the family of the Zarchi. He had the Zarchi family come forward by household leaders, and Zavdi was taken.
18
He had his household come forward, one person at a time; and 'Akhan the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y'hudah, was taken.
19
Y'hoshua said to 'Akhan, "My son, swear to ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, that you will tell the truth and confess to him. Tell me, now, what did you do? Don't hide anything from me." ​
20
'Akhan answered Y'hoshua, "It is true: I have sinned against ADONAI, the God of Isra'el. Here is exactly what I did:
21
when I saw there with the spoil a beautiful robe from Shin'ar, five pounds of silver shekels and a one-and-a-quarter-pound wedge of gold, I really wanted them. So I took them. You will find them hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath." ​
22
Y'hoshua sent messengers, who ran to the tent. It was all there, hidden in his tent, including the silver underneath.
23
They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Y'hoshua and all the people of Isra'el, and put them down before ADONAI.
24
Y'hoshua, together with all Isra'el, took 'Akhan, the son of Zerach, with the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons, his daughters, his cattle, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and everything he had, and brought them up to the Akhor Valley. ​
25
Y'hoshua said, "Why have you brought trouble on us? Today ADONAI will bring trouble on you!" Then all Isra'el stoned him to death; they burned them to ashes and stoned them. ​
26
Over him they piled a great mound of stones, which is there to this day. Finally ADONAI turned away from his fierce anger. And this is why that place is called the Valley of Akhor [trouble] to this day. ​

Study Notes for Joshua 7

Verse 1

The term 'accursed thing' (Hebrew: *ḥērem*) refers to the spoils of Jericho that were devoted entirely to God for destruction or placement in the sanctuary treasury. Achan’s transgression constituted a covenant violation and theft from God, resulting in corporate guilt for the whole community.

Verse 2

Ai was a small but strategically important city about ten miles northwest of Jericho. The initial plan was to test the defenses of Ai before committing the full army.

Verse 3

The scouts’ advice, based purely on human assessment of Ai's size, reflects overconfidence. They failed to recognize that success depended entirely on God’s presence, which had been withdrawn due to Achan’s sin.

Verse 5

The loss of thirty-six men was devastating, not just militarily, but psychologically. The phrase 'hearts... melted, and became as water' indicates deep fear, mirroring the despair the Canaanites felt toward Israel (Josh 2:11) and highlighting the reversal of Israel's spiritual advantage.

Verse 6

Rending clothes, falling before the Ark, and placing dust on the head were traditional signs of profound mourning, humiliation, and desperate intercession, indicating Joshua understood the defeat as a spiritual catastrophe.

Verse 7

Joshua’s lament, common in biblical prayer, questions God’s purpose in bringing them across the Jordan only to suffer defeat. He is struggling to reconcile God's promise of victory with the reality of failure.

Verse 9

Joshua appeals to God's 'great name,' arguing that Israel's destruction would dishonor the Lord among the surrounding nations. This echoes Moses' theological argument that God must preserve Israel for the sake of His own reputation.

Verse 10

God abruptly halts Joshua's lament, indicating that the time for mourning is over and the time for action and purification has begun. The defeat was not a failure of God's power but a violation of His covenant.

Verse 11

God diagnoses the problem as communal guilt resulting from individual transgression. Achan sinned three ways: he took the accursed thing, he stole, and he dissembled (lied) by hiding it secretly among his own property.

Verse 12

Israel could not stand because they themselves had become 'accursed' (*ḥērem*) by harboring the forbidden thing. God’s presence, which guaranteed victory, was contingent upon Israel’s holiness and obedience.

Verse 13

The command to 'sanctify yourselves' requires ritual cleansing and spiritual preparation, emphasizing that the people must be holy to properly execute God's judgment and remove the defilement.

Verse 14

The process of identification moves systematically from the general to the specific (tribe, family, household, man). This public, methodical selection confirmed that the culprit was identified by divine, authoritative means.

Verse 15

The phrase 'wrought folly in Israel' refers to a severe, public moral offense that undermines the community’s integrity. The prescribed punishment of burning signifies the complete removal of the defilement from the camp.

Verse 19

Joshua urges Achan to 'give glory to the LORD' by confessing his sin before judgment is executed. A full, truthful confession acknowledges God's omniscience and justice (cf. 1 Sam 6:5).

Verse 21

Achan’s confession reveals that his sin began with covetousness ('When I saw... then I coveted them'). The items—a rich Babylonian garment, silver, and gold—represented high material value, prioritizing personal gain over covenant obedience.

Verse 24

Achan's entire household and possessions were included in the judgment. This reflects the ancient principle of corporate solidarity in cases of severe covenant violation, where the family shared responsibility for the actions of its head.

Verse 25

Joshua uses wordplay: Achan (which sounds like the Hebrew root *‘akar*) means 'troubler.' Achan troubled Israel through his sin, and now the LORD troubles him through judgment. Stoning was the common method of execution for high offenses, followed by burning to signify purification.

Verse 26

The heap of stones served as a permanent memorial and warning. The name 'Valley of Achor' (Valley of Trouble) memorializes the consequence of disobedience, confirming that the judgment satisfied divine justice and restored God's relationship with Israel.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate
Settings

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options