Joshua 7:16-21

Achan's Confession of Sin Joshua 7:16-21

16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17 And he brought the famliy of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

13.

How were the selections made? Joshua 7:16-18

In what manner the selections were made we do not know. In all probability, little tablets or potsherds were used. The names may have been written upon them, and these drawn out of an urn. This may be inferred from a comparison of Joshua 18:11; Joshua 19:1 with Joshua 18:6; Joshua 18:10. Some commentators feel it was not proper for the man to be selected by lottery, but the sacred lot involved no chance, It was under the special direction of God. This is made clear by the statement that he was the one which the Lord shall take (Joshua 7:14).

14.

What is the meaning of the expression give glory to God? Joshua 7:19

This is a solemn formula of adjuration by which a person was commanded to confess the truth before God (see John 19:24). Joshua said also, And give him praise. His meaning was not that he should make confession, but that he should actually give praise to God by his admission of guilt. Through his confession of the truth, Achan was to render to God, the righteous Judge of all the earth, the praise and honor which were due His name.

15.

What were the materials which Achan had taken? Joshua 7:21

Achan had taken a garment that had been in Babylonia. He had also taken silver of two hundred shekels weight and a wedge of gold. The fact that the garment was of Babylonian style indicates the exchange of commerce between Canaan and the land to the east. The fact that it was a foreign garment would also make it more valuable. Silver was the common form of medium of exchange along with the more precious ingots of gold. Abraham had bought the field and cave of Machpelah from Ephron, the Hittite, for two hundred shekels of silver (Genesis 23:15), giving us some idea of the things which Achan could buy with the fifty shekels of gold and the two hundred shekels of silver which he had stolen. His prize was of some value, but nothing to be compared with the shame which he brought upon himself and his people.