Charles Ellicott Commentary Joshua 7:11

"Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also; and they have even put it among their own stuff." — Joshua 7:11 (ASV)

They have also transgressed my covenant. —The law is again brought prominently forward in this scene. The words of the covenant, the ten commandments, are first of all a pledge that Jehovah is the God of Israel. I am Jehovah, your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. And He brought them out that He might bring them in—and He made them the executioners of His wrath against the idolaters.

They must have no other gods but Him, and they must not treat the things that had been defiled by association with idolatry as their own spoil. The words which specially apply to this case are to be found in Deuteronomy 7:25-26: The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire: you shall not desire the silver or gold that is on them... . Neither shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be a cursed thing like it.

The whole spoil of Canaan was not so treated; but concerning that of Jericho there had been express orders, possibly because the city was especially defiled with idolatry. God had proclaimed it abomination. It was a hêrem — devoted or accursed —and no Israelite was to appropriate any of it, under penalty of becoming chêrem himself, and making his household chêrem. This Achan had done.