Joshua 7:5, commentary and pictures

Israel's first attack on the little town of Ai after Jericho ended in panicked flight down the steep descent, with about thirty-six men killed and the whole congregation disheartened and humiliated before its enemies. Made self-confident by victory and secure in promise, Israel trusted its own strength and rushed with three thousand men without seeking God, failing to realize that divine help alone gives success. The cause was Achan's hidden theft of what God had devoted to destruction, a covetous act he treated as small but which kindled God's anger and withdrew His presence and help from the army. The offense of one man was charged to all, so that concealed sin made Israel weak as water before its enemies and barred God's blessing until it was searched out, confessed, and put away. When any such sin is among His people the whole body bears His rebuke until it is dealt with, for God will not serve with sin and cannot manifest His power while wrongdoing is tolerated or covered up.

Setting and Battle Details

This was Israel's first actual battle with the Canaanites, fought at Ai, a small town among the ravines a few miles west of the Jordan valley, soon after the fall of Jericho. It was undertaken from Gilgal, Israel's first encampment in the promised land, where Achan's sin that caused the repulse was also to meet its dire penalty. It belonged to the first step in the conquest after Joshua withdrew to meditate and pray, met the armed Captain of the host of the Lord who was Christ the Exalted One, fell on his face and worshiped Him, and received assurance that Jericho with its king and mighty men of valor was given into his hand together with instruction for taking the city.

Made self-confident by the great victory God had gained for them and secure because Canaan was promised, Israel trusted its own strength and failed to realize that divine help alone gives success. They looked with contempt on their few foes, and even Joshua laid plans without seeking counsel from God. Expecting an easy victory, three thousand men were thought sufficient and rushed to attack with full confidence in their own power without assurance that God would be with them.

Advancing nearly to the gate of the city, they met determined resistance, panicked at the numbers and thorough preparation of the enemy, and fled in confusion down the steep descent. The men of Ai chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim and smote them in the going down, killing about thirty-six Israelites as they pursued them from the city down the slope. Though only thirty-six were killed, the defeat melted the people's courage because they had expected an easy victory and were driven back in panic by the defenders.

About thirty-six men were slain, and though small in numbers the loss disheartened the whole congregation and humiliated all Israel before its enemies. Their hearts melted and became as water as their courage collapsed. The small loss of life nonetheless made the defeat deeply disheartening to the whole congregation, raising fear of what greater conflicts ahead would bring if put to flight before this little town.

Joshua did not know Achan's sin, but he knew divine help was gone and looked on the ill success as an expression of God's displeasure. He lay prostrate in humility before God with great sorrow because God's name would not be magnified before the people, asking why Israel fled before its enemies. God answered that there was an accursed thing in the camp, that spoil had been taken from the enemies, that there was robbery and dissembling in the camp, and that His blessing could not rest on the people till these things were cleansed from them.

After Achan was judged and God's anger was turned away, Israel again advanced against Ai and God gave them victory. Achan's sin met its dire penalty there, where he was punished.

Achan's Sin and Self-Trust

Achan broke the solemn command given through Joshua to take nothing devoted to destruction, stealing and hiding what had been dedicated to God and consecrated to His treasury for destruction. He took from the spoil of Jericho, which God had commanded to be utterly consumed, the wedge of gold and the Babylonish garment, with all silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron having been declared consecrated to the Lord. His theft, concealment and dissembling brought God's displeasure on the people and caused Israel's defeat at Ai and the deaths of about thirty-six men. Covetousness and greed led him to yield to temptation and violate the command, and sin so deadened his perception that he who would have been horrified to think his sin could bring disaster upon the people no longer saw it. He treated the taking as a very small matter, but it was a very serious sin against the Lord that brought disaster on the whole people, showing that hidden covetousness left unremoved leads to destruction and that hidden sin can have grave consequences for the whole community.

He felt no distress and no remorse, and did not reason from cause to effect that his sin had brought the Lord's displeasure and the defeat in battle. Though he had heard the charge to keep from the accursed thing, he did not ask whether his theft was the cause and had no thought of making his wrong right by confession of sin and humiliation of soul. Though he knew of the defeat and its human cost of thirty-six lives with the people's courage shattered, he remained silent, showing he had not put God's honor or Israel's good before himself.

The defeat warns of the danger of underestimating temptation, for even when people feel secure they may be in great danger of falling. No one can resist temptation in his own strength. It also exposes deceptive acts and indulgence in habits that destroy vitality, which the Lord of heaven marks. Cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and giving up what destroys vitality are required in order to stand before enemies.

Divine Withdrawal and Corporate Guilt

Because of one man's hidden theft the anger of the Lord was kindled against all Israel and His presence was withdrawn from the army at Ai. The Spirit of God withdrew and the unseen armies who were the strength of Israel withdrew their interposition, for God would not serve with sin. Hidden sin barred His way so that He could not help them in battle or do what He wanted to do for them, and could not let His blessing rest on them until robbery and dissembling were cleansed from the camp. Joshua did not know the sin, but he knew divine help was gone, and the result in place of success was defeat, repulse, and death.

The offense of one man was charged to all Israel and affected the entire congregation, so God withheld success against their enemies and could not bless them. Achan's concealed taking of what was forbidden brought God's frown and wrath upon the whole army, made Israel weak as water before its enemies and unable to stand, and brought suffering and defeat on the whole people because of one man's wrongdoing. God knew all about the sin committed in their midst and was offended, though the rest of Israel did not know it. When any sinful action is among His church the whole church bears the rebuke of God until that sin is hunted out and dealt with according to the grievous character of the sin, and this is the Lord's way of dealing in every similar case, including a dearth of means. The success of His cause depends on clearing sin away, keeping discipline, hating the sin but loving the sinner, calling sin by its right name, and putting it away, for without this cleansing God cannot bless and work.

The defeat taught that concealed sin can bring grave consequences for the whole people. Achan's guilt was searched out by God and brought to light and confessed so the people would recognize the justice of the judgment rather than accuse God of cruelty or Joshua of harshness. God's displeasure is upon His people while sins exist among them and are fostered by those in responsible positions, and He will not manifest His power in their midst. A community that tolerates known wrongdoing shares responsibility for it, as Israel was under rebuke because of Achan. Those who know the truth and see sin and transgression in their midst yet become careless will be held equally responsible with open transgressors, for God has not changed but is the same in the gospel as in ancient Israel, and hidden sin must not be passed over or left to drift.

Sinners hide their wrongs and refuse voluntary confession until God searches them out, then acknowledge their sins, while a few go on in wrong until hardened, knowing the church is burdened yet with consciences not condemning them, refusing to relieve the church by humbling their proud, rebellious hearts before God and putting away their wrongs. Being prevailed over by the enemy results from feeling God's wrath when duty is neglected. Those upon whom God has placed responsibility who do not do their duty to bring youth out of lax condition and lying will certainly feel that wrath. This applies to professed followers who let themselves down to a cheap level instead of representing Christ while others labor by prayer and counsels to correct the wrong.

Covetousness and Sacred Stewardship

Achan's hidden covetousness caused all Israel to be driven before their enemies at Ai, where about thirty-six were struck down and hearts melted, and it brought sure destruction upon himself, and the same destruction will surely fall on Sabbath-keepers, the Israel of God, if covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world are not rooted out. His sin brought disaster on the whole people, showing that covetousness left unremoved leads to destruction as sure as his was.

This covetous evil gains upon the heart imperceptibly so that those who have it are not aware of it. It destroys the spirit of sacrifice among God's people, dries up sacrifice to God, and takes the sacrifice from His altar. God has lent means and made men His stewards, but they call it their own and hoard it up. Unless there is an entire change through arising and renewing strength in God by renewing and keeping covenant with Him in sacrificing for God and denying self for the truth's sake, those who love the world and its gain and increase will have all snatched away in a moment when His prospering hand is removed and will perish with the world when human loftiness is brought down, pride humbled, and God's plagues fall upon kings and nobles, rich and poor alike.

Appropriating means for personal use, demanding large wages, selling labor to the highest bidder, and insisting on receiving all one thinks one deserves by comparing pay with others is the sin of Achan. God regards it as selfishness and covetousness and as robbing the treasury. God is not with such a man, an atmosphere of unbelief surrounds his soul, he practices double-dealing and becomes wise above what is written, he cannot give the right mold to the work and cannot supply the necessities of sacrificing laborers in hard fields who give up part of their wages, and unless the evil is corrected and disconnected without delay it will imperil souls in schools, institutions, and churches, for God sees every such case and will pass judgment on it.

Stealing what belongs to God and refusing full restitution brings defeat and discouragement on His work, with hearts melting in disappointment. Withholding means from the Southern field, appropriating money that never came to God's cause, and making excuses not to restore principal and interest is robbery in every sense. It abuses the Spirit of God, blinds spiritual discernment so there is no real sense of justice and mercy and equity and truth, and leaves those responsible to be brought over the same hard ground of struggle in which they placed others.

Sin and dishonesty in handling sacred things dishonor God and require repentance, restitution, and change of course. The influence of cherished sin is not confined to the sinner but spreads as a root of bitterness whereby many are defiled, corrupting minds and spirits, so that God cannot bless the church till it is purged of the evil. Backbiting spreads its defiling influence to many and in this spreading, defiling power is worse than Achan's sin.

Achan's concealed taking of forbidden goods brought God's frown and wrath upon the whole army though one man had done it. Dissembling and covering wrongs was even more grievous than his sin where its influence reached husbands and affected the wider work.

Cleansing Camp and Church Duty

The defeat at Ai and the melting of the people's courage show why sin in the community must be dealt with promptly rather than covered up, so that others will fear God. Wrongdoing like Achan's, which could endanger all Israel, had to be exposed and put away to preserve purity, because hidden sin barred God's way so that He could not do what He wanted to do for His people despite the great and glorious work He had done for them. Without this cleansing God cannot bless and work, and the success of His cause depends on clearing sin away, keeping discipline, hating the sin but loving the sinner, calling sin by its right name, and putting it away. Corrupt, selfish people in the church are Achans, whose presence brings God's displeasure and hinders the work, while their removal relieves the church.

An unrepentant transgressor hidden in Israel, deceived and deceiving, brings guilt and danger upon the whole camp. Such ones must be visited and labored with, and if they refuse to hear admonitions and warnings and refuse to repent they must not be retained on the books or in fellowship but must be disfellowshipped and separated, for to retain them holds the saints accountable for evil deeds and insults the God of heaven. God's dealing in the defeat is a lesson on the responsibility resting on those in high positions of trust, for God has not changed but is the same in the gospel as in ancient Israel, and hidden sin among His people causes loss of His favor and must not be passed over or left to drift. Leaders and teachers must therefore guard righteousness and judgment, give youth a right impression of what constitutes sin and uncleanness, refuse to hold peace when God is dishonored by deception and moral corruption, and work diligently to separate the Achans from the camp, trusting that when they do their duty God by His Holy Spirit will point out wrongdoers because He will not tolerate sin.

A wrong course pursued by one toward his brother will turn God's light from His people until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated. God requires tender feelings and discriminations, enlarged hearts, broad and deep feelings, noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence rather than narrow, selfish, and penurious ways, for as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender, thoughtful love and interest for brethren, every virtue will be corroded. His people must study Isaiah's fast and make close self-examination whether the principles needed to receive the promised blessings are in them, for only then can the church triumph in God. God rebuked Israel for failing to be vigilant in uncovering sin among them, prompting more earnest action against sin afterward. When the spirit that possessed Achan works in men in important positions and is not purged away, restoration has not been made because there is no falling on the Rock and being broken, and there is no hope for God's institutions unless leading men let the Word into the mind and pray with humble broken hearts, for without this deceptions enveloped in mist and fog will come and men will stumble without knowing at what they stumble, so God will surely humble them unless they humble themselves. Hidden wrongdoing in a person's home or heart can obstruct God's blessing and harm the work, as shown when the offense was charged to all Israel and God withheld success, and as seen where a community's lack of success accompanies serious sin in its midst. Cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and giving up deceptive acts and habits that destroy vitality, which the Lord of heaven marks, are required to stand before enemies.