John Calvin Commentary Joshua 7:22

"So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it." — Joshua 7:22 (ASV)

So Joshua sent messengers, etc. Although it is not unusual for messengers to demonstrate their obedience by running and hurrying, the haste mentioned here reveals how determined everyone was to have the work of expiation performed as quickly as possible. This urgency stemmed from the great anxiety they felt because of the severe warning: I will not be with you until you are purged of the anathema. Therefore, they ran swiftly, not merely to carry out Joshua's commands, but much more to appease the Lord. The stolen items, when laid before their eyes, were more than enough to explain the cause of the disgrace and defeat that had happened to them.

It had been said that they had turned their backs on the enemy because, being polluted with the accursed thing, they were deprived of the customary assistance of God; now, from the sight of the stolen articles, it was easy to infer that the Lord had deservedly become hostile to them. At the same time, they were reminded of the great importance God attached to the offering of the first-fruits of the whole land of Canaan in an untainted state, so that His generosity might never perish from their memory. They also learned that while God's knowledge penetrates the most hidden recesses, it is futile to use concealment to escape His judgment.