Commentary - Joshua 7:16-26

Bird's-eye view

Following the disastrous defeat at Ai, Israel is in a state of crisis. Their hearts had melted like water because God had withdrawn His favor. The reason, as God revealed to Joshua, was sin in the camp. Someone had violated the cherem, the ban on taking devoted things from Jericho. This passage, Joshua 7:16-26, details the identification of the culprit and the subsequent purging of that sin from Israel. It is a stark and necessary lesson on the nature of sin, the holiness of God, and the reality of our corporate existence as the people of God. The sin of one man became the sin of the nation, and the judgment on that one man was a corporate act of purification. This is not a pleasant story, but it is a profoundly important one. It teaches us that sin is a troubler, that God takes His covenant seriously, and that true repentance involves not just words, but decisive, cutting action.

The narrative unfolds with a solemn, methodical process of elimination, like a divine detective story, until the guilty man, Achan, is identified. Joshua's interaction with him is a model of pastoral authority, urging a confession that gives glory to God. Achan's confession is straightforward, revealing the classic pattern of sin: seeing, coveting, and taking. The judgment that follows is severe, encompassing not just Achan but his entire household and possessions, all of which had become contaminated by his transgression. The passage concludes with the establishment of a memorial, the Valley of Achor, a name meaning "trouble," which serves as a permanent reminder of the consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the turning away of God's burning anger.

Outline

Context In Joshua

This passage is the grim centerpiece of the story of Israel's conquest of Canaan. It stands in stark contrast to the glorious victory at Jericho in chapter 6. There, perfect obedience led to a miraculous triumph. Here, one man's disobedience leads to a humiliating defeat and national crisis. This event serves as a critical object lesson for Israel right at the beginning of their campaign. The land is a gift from God, but possessing that gift is conditioned on covenant faithfulness. The holiness of God's people is not an optional extra; it is central to their mission. The Achan narrative demonstrates that the greatest threat to Israel is not the Canaanite armies outside the camp, but the sin that lies hidden within it. This principle is foundational for the rest of the book and, indeed, for the entire history of God's people.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 16 So Joshua arose early in the morning and brought Israel near by tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.

Joshua's rising early in the morning is a recurring mark of his diligence and earnest leadership. He is not dragging his feet. He knows the gravity of the situation. God's favor has been withdrawn, and it must be restored. The process of bringing Israel near "by tribes" is a formal, solemn assembly. This is not a private investigation; it is a public reckoning before Yahweh. The method of discovery, likely the casting of lots (Urim and Thummim), underscores that this is God's work. Man is not discovering the culprit; God is exposing him. The lot falls on Judah, the royal tribe, the tribe of the promised Messiah. Sin is no respecter of status.

v. 17 And he brought the family of Judah near, and he took the family of the Zerahites; and he brought the family of the Zerahites near man by man, and Zabdi was taken.

The process narrows, like a funnel. From the tribe to the clan (family), from the clan to the household (family of the Zerahites), and from the household to the individual man. You can feel the tension building with each step. Imagine standing in that assembly as the circle gets smaller and smaller. This methodical process makes the final identification undeniable. It also demonstrates God's intimate knowledge of His people. He doesn't just see the nation as a whole; He sees every clan, every household, every man. No one can hide from the presence of the Lord. The lot falling on Zabdi brings the sin one step closer to being fully exposed.

v. 18 And he brought his household near man by man; and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was taken.

And there he is. The net closes. The text gives us his full lineage, grounding this event in historical reality. This is not a nameless, faceless sinner. He is Achan, a man with a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather, a member of the leading tribe. His sin brings shame not just on himself, but on his entire house. This is the principle of corporate solidarity, or federal headship, writ large. We are not autonomous individuals; we are bound up with our families and our people. Achan's identity is now fixed. He is the troubler of Israel.

v. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, I implore you, give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and give praise to Him; and declare to me now what you have done. Do not hide it from me.”

Joshua's address to Achan is remarkable. He calls him "my son," a term of pastoral tenderness even in this moment of severe judgment. This is not a vindictive prosecution. It is a call to repentance. And notice what the point of the confession is: "give glory to Yahweh." How does a man caught in grievous sin give glory to God? By telling the truth. By acknowledging that God is holy and just, and that his own actions were a violation of that holiness. Confession is not about making excuses or minimizing the offense. It is about agreeing with God about the nature of your sin. It is acknowledging His righteousness and your own unrighteousness. This is the only path to restoration, even when the temporal consequences are dire.

v. 20 So Achan answered Joshua and said, “Truly, I have sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I did:

Achan's confession begins correctly. "Truly, I have sinned against Yahweh." He doesn't blame his circumstances, his upbringing, or the allure of the treasure. He takes responsibility. He acknowledges that his sin was ultimately against God Himself, the God of the covenant with Israel. All sin is theological. It is a rebellion against our Maker and Redeemer. Achan's confession is direct and to the point. There is no attempt at spin or justification. This is the beginning of giving glory to God.

v. 21 I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight; then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”

Here we have the anatomy of sin, a pattern as old as the Garden of Eden. First, "I saw." The temptation entered through the eyes. Second, "I coveted." The seeing gave way to an illicit desire in the heart. This is the root of the sin. The Tenth Commandment is not about actions, but about the desires of the heart that produce the actions. And third, "I took them." The desire, once conceived, gave birth to the act of sin. He saw, he wanted, he took. This is the biography of every sinner. The mention of a "mantle from Shinar" is significant. Shinar is Babylon, the historic seat of rebellion against God (Genesis 11). Achan brought a piece of Babylon into the camp of Israel. He chose the cursed thing over the blessing of God. And then he hid it, burying it in his tent, thinking it could be concealed from the eyes of Him who sees all things.

v. 22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was concealed in his tent with the silver underneath it.

Action follows confession. The messengers run, indicating the urgency of the situation. The sin must be dealt with swiftly. And just as Achan said, there it is. The physical evidence confirms the confession. The word "behold" emphasizes the discovery. The hidden thing is brought into the light. Sin loves the darkness, but God's justice brings everything into the open. The treasure is found right in the middle of his personal space, under his tent, a symbol of his life and household, which were now thoroughly corrupted by this devoted thing.

v. 23 And they took them from inside the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the sons of Israel, and they poured them out before Yahweh.

The stolen goods are removed from the place of concealment and brought before the entire congregation and, most importantly, "before Yahweh." They are poured out, laid bare before the Lord of the covenant. This is a public display of the sin and a public renunciation of it. The thing that was secretly coveted is now openly exposed. This act demonstrates that the sin is not just Achan's private affair; it is a matter for the whole community, and it must be dealt with in the presence of the God who was offended.

v. 24 Then Joshua and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that belonged to him; and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.

Here is the most difficult part of the narrative for modern sensibilities. The judgment falls not only on Achan, but on everything connected to him: his children, his livestock, his property. Why? Because in the biblical worldview, a man is the federal head of his household. His actions represent his family. Furthermore, his sin had contaminated his entire household. The devoted things were hidden in his tent, making his tent and all within it part of the transgression. His family would have known. This is a terrifying picture of how sin spreads and defiles. "All Israel" participates, signifying that this is a corporate act of purification. They are rooting out the cancer that threatened to destroy them all.

v. 25 And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you this day.” And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.

Joshua's question is rhetorical and poignant. "Why have you troubled us?" The name Achan is related to the Hebrew word for "trouble." He lived up to his name. He brought trouble on the entire nation, leading to defeat and the death of thirty-six men. Now, the principle of lex talionis, an eye for an eye, is applied. Because he troubled Israel, Yahweh will now trouble him. The punishment fits the crime. The execution is by stoning, the prescribed method for certain covenant violations, and it is carried out by "all Israel." This is not mob violence; it is judicial execution by the covenant community. The subsequent burning of the bodies and possessions signifies utter destruction and purification. The devoted thing and all it touched must be completely removed.

v. 26 Then they raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and Yahweh turned from His burning anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day.

A heap of stones is raised as a permanent memorial, a warning to future generations about the high cost of sin. This is not something to be swept under the rug and forgotten. It is a lesson that must be remembered. And with this act of judgment, the purpose is achieved: "Yahweh turned from His burning anger." The holiness of God is satisfied, the sin is purged, and the covenant relationship can be restored. The place is named the Valley of Achor, the Valley of Trouble. But this is not the last word. The prophet Hosea would later speak of God transforming this very place, promising to make the Valley of Achor a "door of hope" (Hosea 2:15). This points us to the gospel. Our sin has made our lives a valley of trouble. But Jesus Christ entered our trouble, taking the curse for us. He was stoned and burned in our place on the cross, so that God's burning anger might be turned away from us. Through His sacrifice, our greatest place of trouble becomes the very door of our hope and salvation.