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Joshua 6:17
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15 But it came to pass on the seventh day that they rose early, about the dawning of the day, and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. On that day only they marched around the city seven times.
16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city!
17 Now the city shall be adoomed by the Lord to destruction, it and all who are in it. Only bRahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in the house, because cshe hid the messengers that we sent.  
18 And you, aby all means abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel a curse, band trouble it.  
19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are1 consecrated to the Lord; they2 shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”  
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that athe wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.  
21 And they autterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.  
22 But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, “Go into the harlot’s house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, aas you swore to her.”  
23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, aher father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.  
Commentaries:
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< Joshua 6:16   Joshua 6:18 >>

What Does Joshua 6:17 Mean?



Joshua 6:17-19

Joshua 6 and 7 contain the tragic story of Achan's sin. Achan, one man, sinned by stealing a garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold during the heat of battle after having been instructed that all the booty from Jericho was devoted to God (Joshua 6:17-19; 7:1, 20-21). He had no accomplices, and no one saw him do it. Nonetheless, Israel's army became paralyzed with fear when they attacked the little city of Ai (verses 4-5). Joshua faltered and became confused (verses 6-9). Thirty-six men died—wives were widowed and children lost fathers. In the end, Achan's entire family was destroyed, even though they were innocent of his sin.

The whole nation was affected! When God analyzed Achan's sin, He saw it as a national sin (verses 10-12). The sin of one part was the sin of the whole. When one failed, they all failed. We need to pay more attention to this approach because it is part of the "one body" analogy. We should also notice that God was personally involved. It was after all, His nation, His church, and its conduct is of intense concern to Him. This story also contains a clear illustration of sin's leavening effect. Until a correction was made, it did not just lie there and die. Its effect increased.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Little Things Count!

Related Topics: Achan | Achan's Sin | Ai | Body Analogy | Collective Guilt | Leavening Effect | National Curse | National Sin | Sin of One Part becomes Sin of Whole | Sin's Leavening Effect




Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Joshua 6:17:

Joshua 6:17-19
Joshua 7:1-21
Isaiah 27:13


 
<< Joshua 6:16   Joshua 6:18 >>

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