John Calvin Commentary Joshua 7:25

"And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? Jehovah shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones." — Joshua 7:25 (ASV)

And Joshua said, etc. The invective seems excessively harsh, as if it had been his intention to drive the wretched man to frantic madness, when he ought rather to have exhorted him to patience. I have no doubt that he spoke in this way for the sake of the people, in order to provide a useful example to all, and my conclusion, therefore, is that he did not wish to overwhelm Achan with despair, but only to show through him how grievous a crime it is to disturb the Church of God.

It may be, however, that the haughty Achan complained that his confession, by which he thought he had sufficiently cleared himself, was not accepted, and that Joshua inveighed so bitterly against him in order to correct or break his defiance. The question seems to imply that Achan was protesting, and when Joshua appeals to God as judge, he seems to be silencing a stubborn man.

The throwing of stones by the whole people was a general sign of detestation, by which they declared that they had no share in the crime they avenged in this way, and that they held it in abhorrence. The heap of stones was intended partly as a memorial to future generations, and partly to prevent anyone from unwisely gathering particles of gold or silver on the spot, if it had remained unoccupied. For although the Lord had previously ordered that the gold of Jericho should be offered to Him, He would not allow His sanctuary to be polluted by stolen goods.