BibleTools
Joshua 7:7
Compare all
5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent; therefore athe hearts of the people melted and became like water.  
6 Then Joshua atore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they bput dust on their heads.  
7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Lord1 God, awhy have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!  
8 O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its1 back before its enemies?  
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and acut off our name from the earth. Then bwhat will You do for Your great name?”  

The Sin of Achan

10 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?
11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. aFor they have even taken some of the1 accursed things, and have both stolen and bdeceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.  
12 aTherefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because bthey have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.  
13 Get up, asanctify the people, and say, b‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”  
Commentaries:
Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?
<< Joshua 7:6   Joshua 7:8 >>

What Does Joshua 7:7 Mean?



Joshua 7:1-21

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!


 
<< Joshua 7:6   Joshua 7:8 >>

Join 137,320+ readers

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning

Consistent Bible study is hard to start.

The Berean gives you the starting point: one scripture and a focused commentary in your inbox each morning — read it in minutes, or go as deep as you like.

Free, daily, and spam-free. We never share your address. Unsubscribe anytime.

Close
E-mail This Page