Joshua 7:16-26·~2 min

The Sin of Achan

Joshua brings Israel forward as commanded, and the selection narrows from Judah to the Zerahites, to Zabdi’s family, and finally to Achan himself.

S¹⁶o Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. ¹⁷He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected. ¹⁸And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.

Joshua urges Achan to confess before the LORD, and Achan admits that he saw, coveted, and hid the cloak, silver, and gold. Messengers find the items exactly where he said and lay them out before the LORD.

¹⁹So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” ²⁰“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did: ²¹When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” ²²So Joshua sent messengers who ran to the tent, and there it all was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. ²³They took the things from inside the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites, and spread them out before the LORD.

Joshua and all Israel bring Achan, his household, his goods, and the stolen things to the Valley of Achor. There judgment falls, a heap of stones remains over him, and the LORD’s burning anger turns away.

²⁴Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor. ²⁵“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. ²⁶And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.

Section summaryThe search narrows step by step until Achan stands exposed. His confession matches the hidden treasure in his tent, and the chapter ends with communal judgment at the Valley of Achor, where the LORD’s anger finally turns away.

Role in the chapterThis closing movement completes what the first began. It shows the LORD’s word proved true in detail, removes the defilement from Israel, and closes the breach that had broken the camp.