But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the (a) accursed
thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of
Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the
anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
(a) In taking that which was commanded... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to (b) Ai, which [is] beside
Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go
up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
(b) This was a city of the Amorites: for there was another so called
among the Amorites, (Jeremiah 49:3). T... [ Continue Reading ]
And the (c) men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they
chased them [from] before the gate [even] unto Shebarim, and smote
them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and
became as water.
(c) God would by this overthrow make them more earnest to search out
and... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought
this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites,
to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the (d)
other side Jordan!
(d) This infirmity of his faith shows how we are inclined by nature to... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear [of
it], and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth:
and what wilt thou do unto thy great (e) name?
(e) When your enemies will blaspheme you and say that you were not
able to defend us from them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,
[but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were
accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye (f) destroy
the accursed from among you.
(f) Then to allow wickedness unpunished, is to refuse God willi... [ Continue Reading ]
Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, [There is] an accursed
thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before
thine enemies, until ye take away the (g) accursed thing from among
you.
(g) Meaning, the man that... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall be, [that] he that is (h) taken with the accursed thing
shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath
transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought
folly in Israel.
(h) That is found guilty, either by lots, or by the judgment of Urim.
(Numbers... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the
LORD God of Israel, and (i) make confession unto him; and tell me now
what thou hast done; hide [it] not from me.
(i) By declaring truth: for God is glorified when the truth is
confessed.... [ Continue Reading ]
When I saw among the spoils a goodly (k) 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.
(k) Such a rich garment as the... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and
the silver, and the garment, and the (l) wedge of gold, and his (m)
sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep,
and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the
valley of Achor.
(l) Some... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joshua said, (n) Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble
thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them
with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
(n) He declares that this is God's judgment because he had offended,
and caused others to be slain.... [ Continue Reading ]