Joshua 7:1

Achan Sins and is Punished

7:1 But the Israelites disobeyed the command about the city’s riches. ¹  Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, ²  son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, stole some of the riches. ³  The Lord was furious with the Israelites. ⁴ 

Joshua 7:5

7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them and chased them from in front of the city gate all the way to the fissures ⁵  and defeated them on the steep slope. ⁶  The people’s ⁷  courage melted away like water. ⁸ 

Joshua 7:18

7:18 He then made Zabdi’s ⁹  family approach man by man ¹⁰  and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, was selected.

Joshua 7:24

7:24 Then Joshua and all Israel took Achan, son of Zerah, along with the silver, the robe, the bar of gold, his sons, daughters, ox, donkey, sheep, tent, and all that belonged to him and brought them up to the Valley of Disaster. ¹¹ 

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¹ tn Heb “But the sons of Israel were unfaithful with unfaithfulness concerning what was set apart [to the Lord].”

² tn 1 Chr 2:6 lists a “Zimri” (but no Zabdi) as one of the five sons of Zerah (cf. also 1 Chr 7:17, 18).

³ tn Heb “took from what was set apart [to the Lord].”

⁴ tn Heb “the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel.”

sn This incident illustrates well the principle of corporate solidarity and corporate guilt. The sin of one man brought the Lord’s anger down upon the entire nation.

⁵ tn The meaning and correct translation of the Hebrew word שְׁבָרִים (shÿvarim) is uncertain. The translation “fissures” is based on usage of the plural form of the noun in Ps 60:4 HT (60:2 ET), where it appears to refer to cracks in the earth caused by an earthquake. Perhaps deep ravines or gorges are in view, or the word is a proper noun (“all the way to Shebarim”).

⁶ sn The precise geographical location of the Israelite defeat at this “steep slope” is uncertain.

⁷ tn Or “army’s.”

⁸ tn Heb “and the heart of the people melted and became water.”

⁹ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Zabdi) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ tn Heb “by men.”

¹¹ tn Or “Trouble” The name is “Achor” in Hebrew, which means “disaster” or “trouble” (also in v. 26).