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Joshua 7:25

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And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

And Joshua {H3091} said {H559}, Why {H4100} hast thou troubled {H5916} us? the LORD {H3068} shall trouble {H5916} thee this day {H3117}. And all Israel {H3478} stoned {H7275} him with stones {H68}, and burned {H8313} them with fire {H784}, after they had stoned {H5619} them with stones {H68}.

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.

“Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies.

And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? Jehovah shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.

Commentary

Joshua 7:25 describes the solemn and severe judgment meted out to Achan, who had secretly taken forbidden plunder after the conquest of Jericho. This verse marks the climax of the narrative concerning Achan's transgression and its devastating consequences for the Israelite community.

Historical and Cultural Context

Following the miraculous victory at Jericho, Israel suffered an unexpected and humiliating defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:5). This setback was not due to military weakness but to a hidden sin within the camp. God had commanded that all spoils from Jericho, except for certain precious metals, were to be "devoted things" (cherem), meaning they were set apart for God and utterly forbidden for personal gain. Achan, from the tribe of Judah, defied this command by taking a Babylonian garment, silver, and gold, and burying them in his tent (Joshua 7:21). His actions brought God's wrath upon the entire nation, illustrating the principle of corporate responsibility prevalent in ancient Israel.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Consequences of Disobedience: The most prominent theme is the direct and severe consequence of disobeying God's explicit commands. Achan's personal sin had national repercussions, leading to the death of 36 Israelites at Ai and a temporary loss of God's favor.
  • God's Holiness and Justice: This event underscores God's absolute holiness and His intolerance for sin among His people. The swift and decisive judgment against Achan demonstrates that God takes His commands seriously and will not overlook rebellion, even from within His chosen nation.
  • The Nature of Sin: Achan's sin was not just theft; it was an act of presumption and rebellion against God's direct instruction regarding the devoted things. It polluted the camp and broke faith with the Lord, necessitating purification before Israel could proceed with their conquest.

Linguistic Insights

The exchange between Joshua and Achan, "Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day," highlights a significant Hebrew wordplay. The root word for "trouble" is 'akar (עָכַר), which directly relates to Achan's name, 'akan (עָכָן). Achan's name itself means "troubler." This verbal echo emphasizes that Achan, by his disobedience, brought trouble upon Israel, and now, in turn, trouble (judgment) is brought upon him by the Lord. The place where he was executed became known as the Valley of Achor, meaning "Valley of Trouble," a lasting memorial to his sin.

Practical Application

Joshua 7:25 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today:

  • Individual Accountability: While we live under the new covenant of grace, the principle that our actions have consequences remains. Sin, even when hidden, can hinder our spiritual progress and affect those around us.
  • Integrity and Obedience: God values obedience and integrity in our walk with Him. This narrative encourages us to be vigilant against covetousness and to obey God's commands wholeheartedly, understanding that true blessing comes through faithfulness.
  • Purity of the Community: The passage illustrates the importance of addressing sin within the community of faith to maintain spiritual purity and God's favor.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Joshua 6:18 (7 votes)

    And ye, in any wise keep [yourselves] from the accursed thing, lest ye make [yourselves] accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

  • 1 Chronicles 2:7 (5 votes)

    And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.

  • Deuteronomy 17:5 (4 votes)

    Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, [even] that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

  • Leviticus 24:14 (4 votes)

    Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard [him] lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

  • Joshua 7:11 (3 votes)

    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.

  • Joshua 7:13 (3 votes)

    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.

  • Leviticus 20:2 (3 votes)

    Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth [any] of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.