Bible Commentaries
Joshua 7

Verses 1-26

Israel’s Defeat at Ai and the Judgment of Achan Joshua 7:1-26 deals with Israel’s defeat at Ai and the judgment of Achan in his sin of covetousness. In Acts 5:1-11 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 the church judges those members within its congregation just as Israel judged sin in this passage of Scripture.

Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Joshua 7:1 “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing…and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel” Comments - God judged the entire camp because of the sin of one man.

Joshua 7:1 “for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing” - Comments - Imagine wandering in the wilderness for forty years and not enjoying the luxuries of this life. When these items lay before Achan the temptation was just too much. Unfortunately, the very thing that he expected to bring a blessing turned into a curse, upon him, his family and the entire nation of Israel.

Joshua 7:8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

Joshua 7:8 Comments - With sin in our lives, we cannot draw near to God in order to be able to resist Satan.

Joshua 7:11 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.

Joshua 7:11 Comments - Note God’s command in Joshua 6:19.

Joshua 6:19, “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”

Joshua 7:15 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.

Joshua 7:15 Comments - Why use fire? Because fire purges. Fire represents God’s judgement throughout the Holy Bible.

Joshua 7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

Joshua 7:19 “My son” Comments - Joshua and Caleb were the only two men who had departed from Egypt and lived through the entire wilderness journey. Their generation had died in the wilderness as a form of judgment because of the ten spies who gave a bad report to the Israelites at Kadeshbarnea. Achan was of a younger generation, and could be addressed as “Son.”

Joshua 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Joshua 7:20-21 Comments The Statute Concerning Foreign Gods - Moses had given commandment regarding this matter of covetousness in the book of Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26, “The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.”

Joshua 7:26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

Joshua 7:26 Word Study on “Achor” PTW says the name “Achor” means “trouble.”