Joshua 7:19

Analysis & Commentary

Joshua's address to Achan combines pastoral tenderness ('My son') with moral urgency, creating a model for confronting sin with both grace and truth. The phrase 'give glory to the LORD God of Israel' (ten-kavod laYahweh Elohei Yisrael, תֵּן־כָּבוֹד לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) uses an idiom meaning to acknowledge God's justice by confessing sin truthfully. This same formula appears in John 9:24 when Pharisees interrogate the healed blind man. Confession doesn't earn forgiveness here but publicly vindicates God's holiness and justice before the community. The command 'make confession unto him' (ten-lo todah, תֵּן־לוֹ תוֹדָה) uses todah (תוֹדָה), which can mean thanksgiving or confession—acknowledging God's right to judge sin is itself an act of worship honoring His holiness. Joshua's threefold command—'tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me'—demands complete disclosure, not partial admission. The urgency 'now' (na, נָא) allows no delay. Achan's sin had brought defeat at Ai (7:4-5), corporate judgment (7:1), and threat to the entire conquest. His taking devoted items (herem, חֵרֶם) from Jericho violated God's explicit command (6:18-19) and stole what belonged exclusively to God. This narrative establishes principles of corporate responsibility, the seriousness of hidden sin, and the necessity of dealing thoroughly with sin before God's blessing can continue.

Historical Context

This confrontation occurred after Israel's humiliating defeat at Ai, where 36 Israelites died and the army fled in panic (7:4-5). God revealed that someone had violated the herem (devoted ban) by taking consecrated items from Jericho. The investigation proceeded systematically: tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, man by man (7:14-18), until Achan was identified. This methodical process allowed time for voluntary confession and prevented false accusation, yet also increased communal awareness of sin's gravity. Achan's confession (7:20-21) revealed he took a Babylonian garment, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing 50 shekels—valuable items representing greed and covetousness. Archaeological excavations at et-Tell (possibly Ai) show destruction in the Late Bronze Age consistent with Joshua's conquest. The Babylonian garment (adderet Shinar) indicates international trade connections and Canaan's luxury goods markets. Achan buried the stolen items under his tent (7:21), believing he could hide sin from God and community. The subsequent judgment was severe—Achan, his family, possessions, and livestock were stoned and burned in the Valley of Achor (7:24-26). This harsh penalty reflected the covenant community's need for purity and the seriousness of sacrilege. The Valley of Achor ('trouble') became a memorial warning future generations. Later prophets use Achor symbolically as a place of judgment transformed into blessing through divine grace (Hosea 2:15, Isaiah 65:10).

Questions for Reflection

• How does Joshua's combination of tenderness ('My son') and firmness ('tell me now') model biblical confrontation of sin with both grace and truth?
• In what areas of your life might you be hiding sin like Achan, assuming you can conceal from God what affects the entire community of faith?
• What does the severe judgment on Achan's sin teach about God's holiness and the corporate impact of individual sin within covenant communities?