Joshua 7
7
Achan’s Sin
1But the Israelites violated the commandment regarding the wealth of Jericho that was to be set apart for the Lord. Achan # 7:1 Achan means “one who brings trouble.” Just as there was a snake in the garden (see Gen. 3:1), Judas among the followers of Christ (see Matt. 10:4), and Ananias and Sapphira in the church (see Acts 5:1–11), so there was “one who brings trouble” in the midst of Israel. See 1 Cor. 5:6. son of Carmi, # 7:1 Carmi means “my vineyard.” grandson of Zimri, # 7:1 Or “Zabdi” or “Zabri” (see 1 Chron. 2:6 LXX). of the clan of Zerah, # 7:1 Through Zerah, Achan was the descendant of Judah’s sexual sin. See Gen. 38:6–30. from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the devoted things for himself. This ignited Yahweh’s anger against Israel.
2Joshua sent spies from Jericho to Ai (a small city near Beth Aven, # 7:2 Beth Aven means “house of wickedness.” southeast of Bethel), with orders to spy out the land. So the spies left for Ai. # 7:2 Ai was about fifteen miles north of Jericho. Tradition identifies the site known as et-Tell as biblical Ai. Ai means “heap of ruins.” 3When they returned to Joshua, they reported to him, “There is no need to trouble the whole army to conquer Ai. The people are so few that two or three thousand men could attack it and take the city.” # 7:3 Nothing in our spiritual life is so small that we can war against it in our own strength without God. 4So Joshua sent three thousand troops to attack the city, but they were routed by the men of Ai. 5The men of Ai chased them from the city gates, down the hill as far as the quarries, # 7:5 Or “Shebarim.” Shebarim means “quarries” or “ravines.” cutting them down as they fled. They killed thirty-six of Joshua’s men, and when Israel heard of their defeat, their hearts melted away with fear! # 7:5 Or “melted away and turned to water.” It is interesting to note that after a great spiritual victory, we are all susceptible to a painful defeat. Only as we walk in divine strength and become aware of our weakness can we experience victory (see Isa. 2:22). This event warns us all of the sins of pride and presumption. All our fountains are in Christ (see Ps. 87:7).
6Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothes and threw dust over their heads to show their sorrow. # 7:6 Tearing one’s clothes and throwing dust on one’s head were ancient acts of mourning. See Gen. 37:34; 2 Sam. 1:2; 13:31; Job 1:20; 2:12. They threw themselves facedown to the ground in front of the ark of Yahweh until the evening sacrifice. # 7:6 This was the time of the evening sacrifice of a lamb. 7Joshua cried out, “O Lord Yahweh, why did you lead these people across the Jordan? To be defeated? To be killed by the Amorites? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say now that Israel has retreated from its enemies? 9When the Canaanites and everyone else in the land hear about our defeat, they will gang up on us and wipe us off the face of the earth. And what then will you do about your great name?” # 7:9 That is, “What will you do to protect your great reputation?” Joshua pleaded with God to consider that his reputation was at stake over the success and protection of his people.
10Yahweh spoke to Joshua: “Stand up! Why are you groveling before me? 11Israel has sinned! # 7:11 The defeat at Ai was not just because they did not pray and trust God; it was because there was sin in the camp of Israel and they had lost God’s favor. Although it was one individual, Achan, who sinned, God viewed them as a unit. We are one body in Christ, and the victory of one is the victory of all, and the sin of one is the sin of all. See 1 Cor. 5:1–7. For the righteousness of one (Rahab), the whole of her family was saved. For the sin of Achan, the whole of his family was condemned. Thus it is imperative that we belong firmly to the family of God in Christ Jesus, our eldest brother and representative head. They have broken the covenant which I had commanded them to keep. They have taken forbidden plunder. They have stolen from me, taken what is mine, hidden it among their belongings, and lied about it. 12Cursed things are among you! That is why Israel is powerless, has retreated from their enemies, and is in danger of annihilation. If you do not get rid of these cursed things from among you, I will not go with you any longer. 13Get up and purify the people in preparation for tomorrow. # 7:13 See Joel 2:15–16; Amos 4:12. Tell them, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel says: “O Israel, you have in your midst what must be devoted entirely to me! You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove the devoted things from your midst!” 14Tomorrow morning, you shall present yourselves by tribes. Yahweh will indicate # 7:14 Or literally “catch by lot.” which tribe must come forward by clans. Yahweh will indicate which clan must come forward by families. And Yahweh will indicate which family must come forward one by one. 15Then finally, Yahweh will expose the man caught with the devoted things, which must be destroyed by fire. Everything that man owns # 7:15 Or “All who belong to him.” you must likewise destroy by fire, for he has violated the covenant of Yahweh and committed an outrageous act in Israel!’ ”
16Joshua was up at the crack of dawn and had Israel come forward by tribes, and Yahweh indicated # 7:16 Although Joshua does not record the manner in which Yahweh picked out Judah, we know that it was through a supernatural act of communication, possibly the Urim and Thummim. (Urim means “lights” and Thummim means “perfections.”) See Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21; Ezra 2:63. During the entire process, Achan had ample time to step forward and repent. the tribe of Judah. 17Joshua then had the clans of Judah come forward, and Yahweh picked out the clan of Zerah. Joshua then had the clan of Zerah come forward and Yahweh indicated the family of Zimri. 18Joshua then had Zimri’s family come forward one by one, and Yahweh picked out Achan, the son of Carmi, son of Zimri, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, # 7:19 “Give glory to God!” was a Hebraism by which Joshua demanded the truth from Achan. (See footnote on John 9:24.) and confess. # 7:19 Or “give him praise.” To admit our sin before God in heartfelt confession is equated with giving praise to God. Tell me the truth and do not hide anything from him. What have you done?”
20“It’s true,” Achan said. “I’ve sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel. This is what I did: 21I saw among the plunder an exquisite robe from Babylon, # 7:21 Or “Shinar.” See Gen. 10:10; 11:2; 14:1. Babylonia was recognized for its splendid, costly robes of many colors. It is possible that this robe had idolatrous figures embroidered on it. It may have been the royal robe of the king of Jericho. See Jonah 3:6. two hundred pieces of silver, and a fifty-shekel bar of gold. # 7:21 This was equivalent to about five pounds of silver and one pound (or twenty ounces) of gold. I wanted them badly, so I took them # 7:21 Achan followed the same order in his sin as Adam and Eve: he saw, he wanted them, and he took them. See Gen. 3:6; Col. 3:5; James 1:14–15. This is in the heart of sinful creation in rebellion against the goodness of God’s generosity and holiness. Similarly, Achan sought to hide himself (he did not come forward but required Yahweh to expose him). Similarly, the family of Achan was condemned for his sin in the same fashion that the descendants of Adam are condemned for his sin. and buried them in my tent with the silver underneath.”
22Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it was! They found it buried in the middle of the tent with the silver underneath. 23They took the stolen objects from the tent, # 7:23 Buried in our dust, in our “tent-life” (see 2 Cor. 5:1–5), we often try to hide our sins. It is always better to live without shame and without hidden things. Joshua’s (Jesus’) messengers will uncover the hidden things and bring them to the light (see Num. 32:23) so that victory may be restored. Our sins affect not only ourselves but those around us as well. brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and displayed them in the presence of Yahweh. # 7:23 Most likely, the stolen objects were laid in the tabernacle before the ark of glory. 24Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan son of Zerah along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, and all that belonged to him—his sons, daughters, donkeys, oxen, sheep, tent—everything. Joshua led them all to the Valley of Trouble # 7:24 Or “the Valley of Achor.” Achor (related to Achan) means “trouble” or “disaster.” But judgment is not the end of the story. For the believer today, God’s loving heart will open a door of hope for us even in the Valley of Trouble (see Hos. 2:15; see Isa. 65:10). Jesus turns the Valley of Trouble into a door of hope. He took our judgment that we might rise up in resurrection’s hope. See Isa. 53:5–6; Phil. 3:10–11. 25and said, “Why have you brought all this trouble on us? Yahweh will bring trouble on you today!”
Then all the people stoned Achan and his family to death. They burned up the bodies and all Achan’s possessions. 26They raised over him a huge mound of stones that remains to this day. That is why the place was called the Valley of Trouble ever since.
Afterward, Yahweh’s anger subsided against Israel. # 7:26 Leadership lessons we can learn from this chapter include: (1) There are times the advice of others can lead us astray (see v. 3). (2) It is dangerous for leaders to be presumptuous, to be self-confident, and to ignore sin (see v. 5). (3) We can never take anything that has been devoted to God (see v. 11). (4) Our message to the people must bring them into purity (see v. 13). And (5) keeping ourselves pure will restore favor and blessing to God’s people (see v. 26).
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Joshua 7: TPT
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