Joshua 7:11-20
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Summary
- One person's sin affects the entire community. That person (and all he has) must be destroyed; and God providentially identifies who the guilty person is.
Details and/or Comments
- Sin is in the camp. Something that belonged to God (from the destruction of Jericho) was stolen from him. Therefore, God cannot go with them and give them victory. Even small armies can now defeat them!
- This illustrates the fact that the sin of one person can affect the whole community. People might not like it, but it's just a fact of life.
Scripture
Joshua 7:11-20 – Achan steals things devoted to God, and is providentially identified as guilty (by God)
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Jos 7:11 Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.
Jos 7:12 Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. |
(God speaking.)
Things devoted to God have been stolen; therefore the nation cannot overcome their enemies. You cannot succeed until those things devoted to God (i.e., the stolen items) are destroyed. |
| Jos 7:13 Get up! Sanctify the people, and say, 'Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, for Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, "There is a devoted thing in the midst of you, Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted thing from among you."
Jos 7:14 In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. It shall be that the tribe which Yahweh selects shall come near by families. The family which Yahweh selects shall come near by households. The household which Yahweh selects shall come near man by man. Jos 7:15 It shall be, that he who is taken with the devoted thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of Yahweh, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel.' " |
This is primarily a sin directly against God. This is why the punishment must be so severe.
God will demonstrate who the guilty person is. |
| Jos 7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
Jos 7:17 He brought near the family of Judah; and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected. Jos 7:18 He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected. |
God providentially selects. We are not told what means he used – such as the casting of lots, or some other means. |
| Jos 7:19 Joshua said to Achan, "My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done! Don't hide it from me!"
Jos 7:20 Achan answered Joshua, and said, "I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done. [Details in the verse that follows.] |
“You've been caught; confess the truth.”
There was no reason to hide the truth. Achan knew that God knew. Of necessity, the judgment would have to be death – both him and everything that belonged to him. |
Ch. 3 & 4 (selected) • 6:26 • 7:11-20 • 10:8-14 • 11:4-9 |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
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The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
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Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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