Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Joshua 7
Joshua 7:1But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
This verse immediately reveals the hidden cause of the coming disaster, showing that God was aware of Achan's sin before anyone else was.Joshua 7:11Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.
In His response to Joshua's prayer, God makes it clear that Israel's defeat was not a military failure but a spiritual one rooted in disobedience and deceit.Joshua 7:20-21And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
Achan's confession outlines the classic progression of sin: he saw, he coveted, and he took, reminding us that sin begins in the heart before it becomes an action.
Historical & Cultural Context
From Miraculous Victory to Shocking Defeat
Israel is on a spiritual high after the miraculous fall of Jericho in Joshua 6. They were given a clear command from God: every person and object in the city was 'devoted to the Lord for destruction,' meaning nothing was to be taken as personal plunder. As they move to their next target, the much smaller city of Ai, they are filled with confidence, believing their momentum is unstoppable.
Uncovering the Hidden Sin in the Camp
The unexpected and humiliating defeat at Ai sends a wave of fear through the Israelite camp. Their leader, Joshua, is devastated and confused, questioning God's plan and faithfulness. This moment of crisis forces a confrontation, not with an external enemy, but with God Himself, who reveals that the problem lies within Israel's own ranks.
The Anatomy of a National Crisis
After the incredible success at Jericho, the narrative in Joshua 7 pivots to what should have been an easy victory at Ai. However, the chapter opens by revealing a hidden sin that has already poisoned the camp. The following events show how that one act of disobedience unfolds into a national tragedy, forcing Joshua and the people to confront the devastating consequences.
Overconfidence and a Humiliating Retreat (Joshua 7:1-5)
7 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, "Go up and spy out the land." And the men went up and spied out Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.”
4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai,
5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men of them and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
Commentary:
Israel, weakened by a secret sin, is unexpectedly defeated at Ai, causing their confidence to collapse.
Related Verse Analysis
Joshua's Anguished Prayer (Joshua 7:6-9)
6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan!
8 O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”
Commentary:
A devastated Joshua questions God, fearing for Israel's survival and God's reputation.
God's Diagnosis and Command (Joshua 7:10-15)
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?
11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.
12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction.
13 Up, consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”
14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man.
15 And whoever is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”
Commentary:
God tells Joshua to stop mourning and start dealing with the sin in the camp that caused the defeat.
Achan is Exposed and Confesses (Joshua 7:16-21)
16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."
20 And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did:
21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
Commentary:
Through a divine process of elimination, Achan is identified as the sinner, and he confesses his crime.
Judgment in the Valley of Trouble (Joshua 7:22-26)
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath.
23 Then they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
24 And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
Commentary:
Achan and his entire household are executed for his sin, purging the evil from Israel and appeasing God's anger.
The Ripple Effect of a Single Sin
The Holiness of God
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God is holy and cannot tolerate sin among His people. The command to devote Jericho to destruction was about keeping Israel pure from pagan influences. Achan's disobedience was a direct offense against God's holiness, and the severe judgment shows how seriously God takes His commands.
The Corporate Nature of the Covenant Community
Achan sinned in secret, but the entire nation suffered the consequences. His personal greed led to a national military defeat and the death of 36 men. This story illustrates that God's people are interconnected. The sin of one individual can affect the well-being and spiritual health of the whole community.
The Inevitability of Exposed Sin
Achan buried his treasure, thinking no one would ever know. However, his sin was not hidden from God, who brought it into the light through a divine process. The narrative is a stark reminder that no sin is truly secret and that disobedience will eventually be exposed, often with far greater consequences than if it had been confessed early.
Bringing Hidden Things into the Light
Achan's story is a powerful counter-argument to the idea of private sin. His personal greed led directly to the deaths of 36 soldiers and brought fear upon the entire nation (Joshua 7:5). It teaches you that your choices, even those made in secret, can have a ripple effect on your family, church, and community, because in God's eyes, we are all connected.
When faced with a shocking failure, Joshua's first instinct was to go directly to God in prayer (Joshua 7:6), rather than blaming his soldiers or rethinking his strategy. This shows that when you experience setbacks, especially spiritual ones, your first step should be to humble yourself before God. Ask Him to reveal the root cause instead of trying to fix the surface-level symptoms.
God's command to 'remove the devoted things from among you' (Joshua 7:13) shows that sin cannot be managed. It must be eliminated. This requires honest confession, like Achan's, and decisive action to remove the temptation or behavior from your life. You cannot expect to walk in victory with God while knowingly holding onto things He has forbidden.
Holiness is the Path to Victory
Joshua 7 reveals that God's presence and power are directly connected to His people's purity. The story of Achan is a sobering lesson that secret disobedience can completely undermine public victory because God takes His commands with utmost seriousness. The message is clear and timeless: our strength and success in the spiritual journey depend not on our own cleverness or might, but on our wholehearted obedience to God.
What This Means for Us Today
The story of Achan is a difficult but necessary call to examine our own hearts. It invites us to move beyond a casual view of sin and to embrace the holiness God desires for His people. This chapter challenges us to deal decisively with any 'devoted things' we may be hiding, so that we can walk in the fullness of God's blessing and power.
- Are there any 'hidden things' in my life that I need to confess and bring before God?
- How can I cultivate a greater awareness of how my personal choices affect my spiritual community?
- In what area of my life do I need to ask God for the courage to be completely obedient?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter details the miraculous victory at Jericho and includes the specific command not to take any 'devoted things,' setting the stage for Achan's sin.
After dealing with the sin, Israel returns to Ai and, following God's precise strategy, achieves a decisive victory, showing the restoration of God's blessing.
Connections Across Scripture
This passage about Ananias and Sapphira provides a striking New Testament parallel, where deceit and holding back what was devoted to God resulted in immediate and severe judgment.
Paul warns the Corinthian church that 'a little leaven leavens the whole lump,' echoing the theme from Joshua 7 that unaddressed sin in one member can corrupt the entire community.
This passage explains the progression of sin - from desire to sin to death - which perfectly mirrors Achan's confession that he saw, coveted, and then took the forbidden items.
Theological Themes
God's command, 'You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy,' provides the foundational principle for why Achan's sin was so offensive and required such a drastic response.
Discussion Questions
- Achan's sin began with his eyes ('I saw') and his heart ('I coveted'). How can we guard our hearts and minds against the temptations that begin with what we see and desire?
- The punishment for Achan's sin seems incredibly harsh to modern readers, especially the inclusion of his family. What does this severity teach us about God's perspective on sin and its impact on a community?
- Israel could not stand before their enemies as long as there was unconfessed sin in the camp. In what ways might hidden sin in our own lives, or in the church, hinder our ability to be effective for God today?
Glossary
places
Ai
A Canaanite city near Bethel that was the site of Israel's first defeat during the conquest of the Promised Land.
Jericho
The first city in the Promised Land conquered by the Israelites, where all the plunder was to be devoted to God.
Valley of Achor
The location where Achan and his family were executed, with a name that literally means 'Valley of Trouble.'