Albert Barnes Commentary Joshua 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
Joshua 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
Joshua 7
"But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel." — Joshua 7:1 (ASV)
Committed a trespass - (Compare to Leviticus 5:15 note), “acted treacherously and committed a breach of faith.” This suitably describes the sin of Achan, who had stolen and hidden away that which had been dedicated to God by the ban (Joshua 6:19).
The “trespass” was the act of one man, yet it is imputed to all Israel, who also share in the penalty of it (Joshua 7:5). This is not to be explained as though all the people participated in the covetousness which led to Achan’s sin (Joshua 7:21).
The nation as a nation was in covenant with God and is treated by Him not merely as a number of individuals living together for their own purposes under common institutions, but as a divinely-constituted organic whole.
Hence, the sin of Achan defiled the other members of the community as well as himself and robbed the people collectively of holiness before God and acceptableness with Him. Israel had, in the person of Achan, broken the covenant (Joshua 7:11); God therefore would no longer drive out the Canaanites before them.
The accursed thing - Rather “in that which had been devoted or dedicated.” Achan, in diverting any of these devoted things to his own purposes, committed the sin of sacrilege, that of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:2–3).
Achan or Achar - (the marginal reference) the “n” and “r” being interchanged, perhaps for the sake of accommodating the name to עכר ‛âkar, “trouble” (Joshua 7:25). Zabdi is generally identified with the Zimri of 1 Chronicles 2:6. Zerah was twin brother of Pharez and son of Judah (Genesis 38:30). In this genealogy, as in others, several generations are omitted, most likely those which intervened between Zerah and Zabdi, and which covered the space between the migration of Jacob’s household to Egypt and the Exodus (Numbers 26:5, see the note).
"And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and spy out the land. And the men went up and spied out Ai." — Joshua 7:2 (ASV)
Ai, Bethel - See Genesis 12:8 note. (Modern travelers place the former at Khan Haiy, in the neighborhood of Deir Diwan.)
"And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; make not all the people to toil thither; for they are but few." — Joshua 7:3 (ASV)
The total population of Ai was about twelve thousand (Joshua 8:25). It could therefore hardly muster three thousand warriors.
"And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men; and they chased them [from] before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them at the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water." — Joshua 7:5 (ASV)
Shebarim - Rather, perhaps, “the stone quarries.” The smallness of the slaughter among the Israelites indicates that they fled early, probably without real conflict in battle.
"And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of Jehovah until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust upon their heads." — Joshua 7:6 (ASV)
On these signs of mourning, compare the marginal references, Leviticus 10:6, Numbers 20:6, and 1 Samuel 4:12.
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