TRV
Translation
King James Version
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
KJV (with Strong's)
In the morning H1242 therefore ye shall be brought H7126 according to your tribes H7626: and it shall be, that the tribe H7626 which the LORD H3068 taketh H3920 shall come H7126 according to the families H4940 thereof; and the family H4940 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 by households H1004; and the household H1004 which the LORD H3068 shall take H3920 shall come H7126 man H1397 by man H1397.
Complete Jewish Bible
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.
Berean Standard Bible
In the morning you must present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD selects shall come forward clan by clan, and the clan that the LORD selects shall come forward family by family, and the family that the LORD selects shall come forward man by man.
American Standard Version
In the morning therefore ye shall be brought near by your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which Jehovah taketh shall come near by families; and the family which Jehovah shall take shall come near by households; and the household which Jehovah shall take shall come near man by man.
World English Bible Messianic
“‘In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which the LORD selects shall come near by families. The family which the LORD selects shall come near by households. The household which the LORD selects shall come near man by man.
Geneva Bible (1599)
In the morning therefore ye shall come according to your tribes, and the tribe which the Lord taketh, shall come according to the families: and the familie which the Lord shall take, shall come by the housholds: and the houshold which the Lord shall take, shall come man by man.
Young's Literal Translation
and ye have been brought near in the morning by your tribes, and it hath been, the tribe which Jehovah doth capture doth draw near by families, and the family which Jehovah doth capture doth draw near by households, and the household which Jehovah doth capture doth draw near by men;
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Commentary on Joshua 7 verses 10–15
10 ¶ And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11 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.
12 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.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
We have here God's answer to Joshua's address, which, we may suppose, came from the oracle over the ark, before which Joshua had prostrated himself, v. 6. Those that desire to know the will of God must attend with their desires upon the lively oracles, and wait at wisdom's gates for wisdom's dictates, Pro 8:34. And let those that find themselves under the tokens of God's displeasure never complain of him, but complain to him, and they shall receive an answer of peace. The answer came immediately, while he was yet speaking (Isa 65:24), as that to Daniel, Dan 9:20, etc.
I. God encourages Joshua against his present despondencies, and the black and melancholy apprehensions he had of the present posture of Israel's affairs (Jos 7:10): "Get thee up, suffer not thy spirits to droop and sink thus; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?" No doubt Joshua did well to humble himself before God, and mourn as he did, under the tokens of his displeasure; but now God told him it was enough, he would not have him continue any longer in that melancholy posture, for God delights not in the grief of penitents when they afflict their souls further than as it qualifies them for pardon and peace; the days even of that mourning must be ended. Arise, shake thyself from the dust, Isa 53:2. Joshua continued his mourning till eventide (Jos 7:6), so late that they could do nothing that night towards the discovery of the criminal, but were forced to put it off till next morning. Daniel (Dan 9:21), and Ezra (Ezr 9:5, Ezr 9:6), continued their mourning only till the time of the evening sacrifice; that revived them both: but Joshua went past that time, and therefore is thus roused: "Get thee up, do not lie all night there." Yet we find that Moses fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, to make intercession for Israel, Deu 9:18. Joshua must get up because he has other work to do than to lie there; the accursed thing must be discovered and cast out, and the sooner the better; Joshua is the man that must do it, and therefore it is time for him to lay aside his mourning weeds, and put on his judge's robes, and clothe himself with zeal as a cloak. Weeping must not hinder sowing, nor one duty of religion jostle out another. Every thing is beautiful in its season. Shechaniah perhaps had an eye to this in what he said to Ezra upon a like occasion. See Ezr 10:2-4.
II. He informs him of the true and only cause of this disaster, and shows him wherefore he contended with them (Jos 7:11): Israel hath sinned. "Think not that God's mind is changed, his arm shortened, or his promise about to fail; no, it is sin, it is sin, that great mischief-maker, that has stopped the current of divine favours and has made this breach upon you." The sinner is not named, though the sin is described, but it is spoken of as the act of Israel in general, till they have fastened it upon the particular person, and their godly sorrow have so wrought a clearing of themselves, as theirs did, Co2 7:11. Observe how the sin is here made to appear exceedingly sinful. 1. They have transgressed my covenant, an express precept with a penalty annexed to it. It was agreed that God should have all the spoil of Jericho, and they should have the spoil of the rest of the cities of Canaan; but, in robbing God of his part, they transgressed this covenant. 2. They have even taken of the devoted thing, in contempt of the curse which was so solemnly denounced against him that should dare to break in upon God's property, as if that curse had nothing in it formidable. 3. They have also stolen; they did it clandestinely, as if they could conceal it from the divine omniscience, and they were ready to say, The Lord shall not see, or will not miss so small a matter out of so great a spoil. Thus thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thyself. 4. They have dissembled also. Probably, when the action was over, Joshua called all the tribes, and asked them whether they had faithfully disposed of the spoil according to the divine command, and charged them, if they knew of any transgression, that they should discover it, but Achan joined with the rest in a general protestation of innocency, and kept his countenance, like the adulterous woman that eats and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness. Nay, 5. They have put the accursed thing among their own goods, as if they had as good a title to that as to any thing they have, never expecting to be called to an account, nor designing to make restitution. All this Joshua, though a wise and vigilant ruler, knew nothing of, till God told him, who knows all the secret wickedness that is in the world, which men know nothing of God could at this time have told him who the person was that had done this thing, but he does not, (1.) To exercise the zeal of Joshua and Israel, in searching out the criminal. (2.) To give the sinner himself space to repent and make confession. Joshua no doubt proclaimed it immediately throughout the camp that there was such a transgression committed, upon which, if Achan had surrendered himself, and penitently owned his guilt, and prevented the scrutiny, who knows but he might have had the benefit of that law which accepted of a trespass-offering, with restitution, from those that had sinned through ignorance in the holy things of the law? Lev 5:15, Lev 5:16. But Achan never discovering himself till the lot discovered him evidenced the hardness of his heart, and therefore he found no mercy.
III. He awakens him to enquire further into it, by telling him, 1. That this was the only ground for the controversy God had with them, this, and nothing else; so that when this accursed thing was put away he needed not fear, all would be well, the stream of their successes, when this one obstruction was removed, would run as strong as ever. 2. That if this accursed thing were not destroyed they could not expect the return of God's gracious presence; in plain terms, neither will I be with you any more as I have been, except you destroy the accursed, that is, the accursed person, who is made so by the accursed thing. That which is accursed will be destroyed; and those whom God has entrusted to bear the sword bear it in vain if they make it not a terror to that wickedness which brings these judgments of God on a land. By personal repentance and reformation, we destroy the accursed thing in our own hearts, and, unless we do this, we must never expect the favour of the blessed God. Let all men know that it is nothing but sin that separates between them and God, and, if it be not sincerely repented of and forsaken, it will separate eternally.
IV. He directs him in what method to make this enquiry and prosecution. 1. He must sanctify the people, now over-night, that is, as it is explained, he must command them to sanctify themselves, Jos 7:13. And what can either magistrates or ministers do more towards sanctification? They must put themselves into a suitable frame to appear before God and submit to the divine scrutiny, must examine themselves, now that God was coming to examine them, must prepare to meet their God. They were called to sanctify themselves when they were to receive the divine law (Ex. 19), and now also when they were to come under the divine judgment; for in both God is to be attended with the utmost reverence. "There is an accursed thing in the midst of you, and therefore sanctify yourselves," that is, Let all that are innocent be able to clear themselves, and be the more careful to cleanse themselves. The sin of others may be improved by us as furtherances of our sanctification, as the scandal of the incestuous Corinthian occasioned a blessed reformation in that church, Co2 7:11. 2. He must bring them all under the scrutiny of the lot (Jos 7:14); the tribe which the guilty person was of should first be discovered by lot, then the family, then the household, and last of all the person. The conviction came upon him thus gradually that he might have some space given him to come in and surrender himself; for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Observe, The Lord is said to take the tribe, and family, and household, on which the lot fell, because the disposal of the lot is of the Lord, and, however casual it seems, is under the direction of infinite wisdom and justice; and to show that when the sin of sinners finds them out God is to be acknowledged in it; it is he that seizes them, and the arrests are in his name. God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants, Gen 44:16. It is also intimated with what a certain and unerring judgment the righteous God does and will distinguish between the innocent and the guilty, so that though for a time they seem involved in the same condemnation, as the whole tribe did when it was first taken by the lot, yet he who has his fan in his hand will effectually provide for the taking out of the precious from the vile; so that though the righteous be of the same tribe, and family, and household, with the wicked, yet they shall never be treated as the wicked, Gen 18:25. 3. When the criminal was found out he must be put to death without mercy (Heb 10:28), and with all the expressions of a holy detestation, Jos 7:15. He and all that he has must be burnt with fire, that there might be no remainders of the accursed thing among them; and the reason given for this severe sentence is because the criminal has, (1.) Given a great affront to God: He has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, who is jealous particularly for the honour of the holy covenant. (2.) He has done a great injury to the church of God: He has wrought folly in Israel, has shamed that nation which is looked upon by all its neighbours to be a wise and understanding people, has infected that nation which is sanctified to God, and troubled that nation of which he is the protector. These being crimes so heinous in their nature, and of such pernicious consequence and example, the execution, which otherwise would have come under the imputation of cruelty, is to be applauded as a piece of necessary justice. It was sacrilege; it was invading God's rights, alienating his property, and converting to a private use that which was devoted to his glory and appropriated to the service of his sanctuary - this was the crime to be thus severely punished, for warning to all people in all ages to take heed how they rob God.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–15. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Joshua 7:14 meticulously outlines the divine protocol given to Joshua for identifying the individual responsible for Israel's devastating defeat at Ai. Following the miraculous capture of Jericho, a single act of disobedience by one Israelite brought divine judgment upon the entire community, leading to a humiliating loss against a smaller foe. This verse details the systematic, God-ordained process of elimination, moving from the broadest communal unit—the tribes—down to the specific individual, thereby revealing the hidden sin that had provoked God's wrath and hindered His presence among His people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Joshua 7:14 employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message. The most prominent is Repetition, specifically of the phrase "the LORD taketh" (or "shall take"). This repeated emphasis serves to underscore the divine agency and sovereign control over the entire identification process, ensuring that the revelation of the guilty party is not a matter of chance or human ingenuity but a direct, infallible act of God. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Climax or Gradation, moving systematically from the broadest social unit ("tribes") to progressively narrower ones ("families," "households") until it culminates in the identification of the single "man by man." This dramatic narrowing builds suspense and highlights the meticulousness and infallibility of God's justice. The passage also implicitly uses Corporate Solidarity as a thematic device, where the collective "Israel" bears the consequences of an individual's sin, illustrating the profound interconnectedness within the covenant community and the need for communal holiness.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The theological weight of Joshua 7:14 is immense, revealing core truths about God's character and His relationship with His covenant people. It powerfully demonstrates God's absolute holiness and His demand for purity within His community. Sin, even when committed by one individual and hidden from human sight, defiles the entire corporate body and provokes divine wrath, hindering God's blessing and presence. This passage underscores the principle of corporate responsibility, where the well-being of the whole is intricately linked to the obedience of its parts. God's meticulous process of revelation signifies His unwavering commitment to justice and His omniscience, ensuring that hidden sin will ultimately be brought to light. This divine exposure is not merely punitive but redemptive, aiming to restore the community to a right relationship with Him by removing the impediment of sin and re-establishing the conditions for His blessing.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Joshua 7:14 offers profound and enduring lessons for believers today, reminding us of the pervasive nature and far-reaching consequences of sin. It calls us to a deep sense of personal accountability, recognizing that our actions, whether public or private, can impact not only ourselves but also the spiritual health and effectiveness of our families, churches, and communities. The meticulousness of God in uncovering Achan's sin should instill in us a healthy reverence for His omniscience; there are no hidden sins from Him, and a life of integrity and transparency is essential for maintaining a vibrant relationship with God. Furthermore, this passage challenges us to consider our corporate responsibility within the body of Christ. Just as Israel needed to purge the sin from their midst to restore God's favor, so too must the church collectively strive for purity, addressing sin through confession, repentance, and restorative discipline where necessary. This pursuit of holiness is not for condemnation but for the flourishing of God's presence and blessing among His people, enabling the church to fulfill its mission unhindered.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God punish the entire community for the sin of one individual, Achan?
Answer: The punishment of the entire community for Achan's sin highlights the profound concept of corporate solidarity within ancient Israel, particularly in their covenant relationship with God. Israel was understood as a single, unified entity in covenant with Yahweh, where the actions of one member could affect the spiritual standing and blessing of the whole. Achan's transgression, by taking "the accursed thing" (Joshua 7:1), was not merely a personal offense but a breach of the national covenant, defiling the entire camp and disrupting God's presence and favor among His people. God's holiness demands that sin be dealt with, and in this context, the entire community bore the consequences until the sin was identified and purged, emphasizing the gravity of covenant faithfulness and the communal nature of their relationship with God.
How exactly did the LORD "take" or identify the guilty tribe, family, household, and individual?
Answer: While the precise method is not explicitly detailed in Joshua 7:14, the phrase "the LORD taketh" strongly implies a divine, supernatural process rather than a human investigation. In ancient Israel, methods for discerning God's will often included the casting of lots (as seen in 1 Samuel 14:41-42) or the use of the Urim and Thummim by the high priest. It's most probable that Joshua employed one of these divinely sanctioned means, guided by God, to systematically narrow down the search. The emphasis is not on the mechanics of the process but on the certainty that God Himself was orchestrating the revelation, ensuring the infallible identification of the transgressor and the restoration of His people's purity.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Joshua 7:14, while a stark portrayal of sin's consequences and God's justice in the Old Covenant, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound reorientation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Achan's individual sin brought corporate condemnation and death upon Israel, highlighting humanity's inherent inability to perfectly uphold God's law and the devastating impact of transgression. However, in Christ, we see the ultimate reversal of this pattern. The Lamb of God willingly "took" upon Himself the sin of the world, bearing the corporate judgment that humanity deserved, so that those who believe might be freed from condemnation (Romans 8:1). Unlike Achan, whose exposure led to death for himself and his family, Jesus's "being taken" (arrested, crucified) leads to life for all who are united with Him. Through His perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice on the cross, Christ has dealt definitively with the "accursed thing" of sin, cleansing His people and restoring fellowship with a holy God. He is the one righteous man whose singular act of obedience brings righteousness to many (Romans 5:19), transforming the principle of corporate solidarity from one of shared condemnation in Adam to one of shared righteousness and life in Him (1 Corinthians 15:22).