Joshua 7:9, commentary and pictures

After the rout at Ai where Israel attacked without God's presence and fled with thirty-six slain and hearts melted as water, Joshua with the elders fell prostrate before the ark until evening in grief and humiliation. He warned that the Canaanites and all the inhabitants would hear of the flight, surround Israel, embolden its enemies and erase its name from the earth. He closed by pleading what would become of God's own great name, which would be dishonored and disgraced if His people were destroyed. The defeat had come because Israel had transgressed the covenant by Achan's hidden theft of the devoted thing, coveting and concealing a golden wedge and Babylonish garment, so God's presence and the armies of heaven withdrew and Israel could not stand until the offense was removed. The sin of one was charged to the whole camp and kindled God's anger against all, showing Israel's survival and reputation among the nations to be bound up with the honor of God's name, which is barred from acting for His people until concealed sin is searched out, confessed and put away.

Defeat and Prayer Setting

Israel's cry came after its first actual battle with the Canaanites at Ai, when about three thousand men went up without assurance of God's presence, fled in panic down the steep descent, and thirty-six were slain, so that the hearts of the people melted and became as water. It was a humiliating defeat and repulse before enemies, with Israel turning their backs and fleeing before the men of Ai in full confidence of their own power. The thirty-six slain and the melting of the people's hearts as water marked the depth of the repulse.

Seeing the ill success as an expression of God's displeasure, Joshua with the elders rent his clothes and fell prostrate on his face to the earth before the ark until eventide with dust on their heads. He lay in astonishment and grief and abject humiliation, with wounded and tortured anguish of soul. Responsible men bearing the burden felt in that posture the great sorrow, weight, and agony of soul that comes when the Lord shows displeasure and His anger is kindled. Beaten and fleeing before enemies, he was prostrated before the Lord asking what their flight meant.

Prostrate in humility upon his face, he laid the case open before God with great sorrow. Fallen to the earth he asked what to say when Israel turns their backs before their enemies. He asked why Israel had been brought over Jordan to be delivered into the hand of the Amorites. His question voiced deep distress over Israel turning back in flight.

He warned that the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of the flight. Hearing, they shall surround Israel round about, emboldened against them. They shall environ them and cut off their name from the earth, wiping it out and bringing it to an end. The danger was erasure as a people before surrounding enemies.

He closed by appealing what God will do unto His own great name. He grieved that God's name will not be magnified before the people but will be dishonored and disgraced when the defeat is known. The honor of that great name was at stake if Israel were destroyed. Survival and reputation among the nations were thus bound up with what would be done for God's name.

He prayed this though he did not yet know Achan's hidden sin. Yet he did know that God's unseen armies had withdrawn their interposition and were not with Israel, that the presence of the Lord and the armies of heaven were withdrawn so Israel was left to plan and battle by human wisdom. God did not comfort him in that prostrate posture but enlightened His servant and commanded him to rise. The answer revealed the transgression, that there was an accursed thing in the camp through robbery and dissembling, and that His blessing could not rest on the people till it was cleansed from them.

Sin Behind the Defeat

The reverse at Ai came because Israel had sinned and broken covenant by taking what was devoted and accursed from Jericho, stealing it and dissembling about it and hiding it among their own goods. The spoil had been taken from the enemies of Israel in robbery and dissembling, and there was an accursed thing in the camp that had to be cleansed before blessing could rest again. The Lord answered prayer by revealing that hidden taking and concealment of what He had forbidden, and used the defeat and its discovery as a lesson never to be forgotten.

Achan coveted and hid a golden wedge and a Babylonish garment, taking and concealing what was forbidden and dedicated to God. He committed the theft coolly and showed no remorse, while those bearing responsibility felt the weight in agony of soul. What he esteemed a very little thing was in God's eyes a great matter of disregarding His word about the devoted goods, and God regards such embezzling of His goods with utmost seriousness. His covetousness, theft, and concealment brought defeat and the loss of thirty-six lives.

That covetousness grew gradually into a settled habit, gaining imperceptibly upon the heart so that those who have it are not aware of it. Cherished greed deadened moral judgment and dulled the sense of right. Hidden greed brought sure ruin, and clung-to covetousness with love of the world and its gain leaves no escape except by entire change. It led to ruin and disaster for others beyond the sinner himself.

Because of that hidden sin God's presence and blessing were withdrawn from the army, and His Spirit and the unseen armies of heaven left Israel to plan and battle by human wisdom. The Lord's presence was not with the army, He would not go out to battle until the accursed thing was removed, and the enemy nations were strengthened against Israel. Israel could not stand before enemies nor expect victory or success while the offense remained, and prayer alone was not enough until the people were sanctified and the thing taken away with cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit. The sin of one person was charged to all Israel and kindled God's anger against the whole camp, so all suffered and thousands were killed and progress was hindered. One sinner's wrongdoing caused the whole people defeat and loss of life, one person's departure from direction weakened the whole community, and the whole community stood weakened under rebuke and curse while the accursed thing remained hidden.

The account belongs to Gilgal, Israel's first encampment in the promised land, from which Israel marched to the overthrow of Jericho and the conquest of Ai and where Achan met the dire penalty for his sin. It stands as a turning point in the conquest when Achan with his household and all he possessed was destroyed and the accursed thing was taken away.

Honor of God's Name

Joshua's fear was that defeat at Ai would become known among the Canaanites, who would be emboldened to surround Israel round about and destroy the people and erase their name from the earth. His closing appeal asking what would become of God's great name presents Israel's survival and reputation among the nations as bound up with the honor of God's name. That concern shows dishonor would fall on God Himself, whose reputation was bound up with the people He had brought into Canaan.

The threatened repulse put both Israel's own name and God's name among the surrounding peoples at stake. The hidden theft brought God's displeasure on the whole people, so that He would not bless them in battle while the sin remained hidden and thousands were killed. That danger of defeat threatened dishonor to God, put His cause at risk, hindered progress, and showed that taking what was not rightfully one's own could harm the whole community and bring judgment.

The prayer was made in rent clothes, fallen on the face before the ark until evening with dust on the head, after about three thousand men had fled and thirty-six warriors were slain and the hearts of the people melted as water. It expresses the great sorrow, weight, and agony of soul borne by responsible men when the Lord shows displeasure and His anger is kindled. Those bearing the burden feel most keenly the weight of the people's sins and mourn because God's cause is dishonored by what was counted a little thing, while the guilty feels no burden but takes the golden wedge and Babylonish garment coolly without remorse, though what he esteemed a very little thing was in God's eyes a great matter of disregarding His word about the devoted goods of Jericho, leaving Israel with the presence of the Lord and the armies of heaven withdrawn to plan and battle by human wisdom.

God notices wrongdoing even when others overlook it, and by His mighty power He had done a great and glorious work for Israel. Yet Achan's taking and concealing what God had forbidden meant Israel could not stand before enemies nor expect God's presence or victory until the offense was removed. The sin barred His way so that He could not do what He would for them until the way was cleared by putting sin away. After Achan was judged God's anger against Israel was turned away, and Israel could advance against Ai with heaven fighting for them.

Exposing and Removing Sin

The defeat at Ai and the discovery of the hidden spoil were turned into a lesson never to be forgotten, that one man's concealed transgression kindles anger against the whole camp, withdraws presence from the armies, and lets the enemy triumph. Guilt must be brought to light by confession before punishment falls, so that judgment is not charged as unmerciful and severe. Prayer alone prostrate before the ark is not enough; the people must be sanctified and the accursed thing taken away from among them before they can stand before enemies, cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and from habits that destroy vitality.

Concealed wrongdoing cannot remain hidden, for God searches it out as He searched out Achan and pronounced a curse upon him, and hidden selfishness, greed, and deception will surely bring displeasure to light. The people were rebuked for failing to be vigilant in discovering sin among them. That failure to discover must not swing to the opposite extreme of harsh judgment before learning the facts.

Those who stand in high positions of trust bear responsibility to purify the congregation from moral defilement and not to pass known sin by as small and unimportant. They must act with discretion to search out wrongdoing diligently and deal with it promptly, for God does not change and will not tolerate sin, and by His Spirit He will point out hidden wrongdoers when righteousness and judgment are closely guarded. Those charged with reproving and correcting prevailing sin, by which the people are weakened, should not be hindered or accused for doing that duty.

One deceived and deceiving who refuses admonitions and warnings and refuses to repent must not be retained in the church. The sinner must be required to put away sin or be separated from the church and diligently separated from the camp as the Achans were, lest favor be lost when deception and moral corruption work among professed children. To retain those who do wickedly and refuse to repent is contrary to the divine will, while separation causes others to fear God.

A church which knowingly makes light of serious defects in one of its members or ministers shares responsibility for them and comes under rebuke. Accepting such a person's leadership makes the defects the church's own. The camp had to be cleansed of sin so that others would not be contaminated.

The influence of the evil is not confined to the sinner but corrupts minds and spirits and defiles many as a root of bitterness, and God cannot bless His people till it is purged by repentance and change of course. A wrong course pursued by one toward his brother turns the light from the people until the wrong is searched out and the cause of the oppressed is vindicated. Only tenderness of feeling and discrimination, with enlarged hearts and broad and deep feelings, with noble sympathy, largeness of soul, and disinterested benevolence, opens the way for triumph, for just as long as selfishness dries up kindly sympathy and tender thoughtful love and interest for brethren, every virtue is corroded.

Warning for God's People

When sinful action is found among His church the whole church bears rebuke with withdrawal of the Spirit, defeat in place of success, and dearth of means until that sin is hunted out and dealt with according to its grievous character. Joshua prostrate in humility upon his face after Israel was humiliated before its enemies in repulse at Ai where thirty-six men were slain lays the case open with great sorrow, grieving that God's name will not be magnified but will be dishonored when the Canaanites hear of the defeat, praying this though he does not know Achan's hidden sin yet knowing God's unseen armies have withdrawn their interposition and are not with Israel. Achan's sin was charged to all Israel and God withheld success against enemies while the accursed thing remained, so failure to prosper in the work is linked to unconfessed sin within the community. Sin within the camp was serious enough to be linked with failure in the work at Wellington, warning that wrongdoing among God's people can hinder their success.

When the church is in difficulty its members should search their hearts for concealed sin, for Achan's hidden sin brought disaster on all Israel and gave enemies reason to triumph, shut out God's presence, withheld His blessing, and weakened His people. God rebuked Israel for failing to be vigilant in discovering sin among them, and their later resolve to act promptly against suspected sin led them to the opposite extreme of harsh judgment before learning the facts. The same cause brings the same sure destruction upon the Israel of God now: covetousness, selfishness, love of money and love of the world working imperceptibly through Sabbath-keepers destroys the spirit of sacrifice, takes the sacrifice from God's altar, and turns stewards of God's lent means into hoarders calling it their own. Achan coveting and hiding a golden wedge and a Babylonish garment brought an accursed thing and defeat before enemies upon all Israel until it was taken away by destroying Achan with his household and all he possessed. Unless this evil is rooted out by arising and renewing strength in God by renewing and keeping covenant with Him in sacrifice for God and denial of self for the truth's sake, those who love the world and its gain and increase will perish with the world, snatched away in a moment when God's prospering hand is removed, with all loftiness of man brought down and pride humbled as kings and nobles, rich and poor alike bow under the withering plagues of God.

That covetousness gains upon the heart imperceptibly so those who have it are not aware of it, and unless it is rooted out destruction is certain, leaving no escape except by entire change, for man is weak and frail and puny of arm and means are only lent by God. Professed commandment keepers who embezzle the Lord's goods and defend wrongdoing through falsehood and attacks on correctors remain a dangerous influence leading others astray, for Achan's covetousness, theft, and concealment of what was dedicated to God brought defeat and the loss of thirty-six lives and shows how seriously God regards these sins. God regards as that same sin of Achan the selfish appropriating of means for personal use and robbing His treasury, covetous self-measuring, demanding wages one thinks one deserves, becoming wise above what is written, double-dealing, and securing all for self while neglecting laborers in hard fields. Such a man is surrounded by an atmosphere of unbelief, cannot give the right mold to the work, and cannot supply the necessities of others, and God sees every such case and will pass judgment on it.

The covetous spirit that took possession of Achan is still working in men in important positions and endangers God's institutions, and it must be purged away because it remains living and unrepented of and restoration has not been made. There is no hope unless leading men fall on the Rock and are broken, humble themselves, let the Word into the mind, truly know God and Jesus Christ, and pray with humble broken hearts to be saved from perishing, for without this deceptions enveloped in mist and fog will increase and they will stumble without knowing why, and God will surely humble them unless they humble themselves. When His professed people steal means belonging to His cause His honor is dishonored and His censure rests on them until clean work is made. Diverting appointed means from the Southern field through selfishness at every point, leaving workers struggling in hard places, is robbery in every sense hated by God and an abuse of His Spirit, demanding full restitution of both principal and interest with justice and mercy and equity and truth, not divided trifles, insincere missionary professions, excuses, questioning, criticism, envy and jealousy that blind spiritual discernment and refuse the plain will of the Lord.

Dishonest practices in handling sacred work and selfishly appropriating funds or what was not rightfully one's own dishonor God, harm the whole community, bring judgment, and call for repentance and restitution, for taking what was not rightfully one's own threatened the honor of God's name and brought danger and judgment on Israel. Temptation can lead to stumbling and fall even when a person feels secure and cannot be resisted by human strength, as Achan's case shows bringing guilt and danger upon Israel. Israel's history also warns against idolatry and close ties with idolaters including intermarriage because such ties expose people to corruption and ruin, teaching that departing from God brings desolation while God is faithful both to fulfill promises and to carry out warnings, lessons to be applied personally. The same robbery and dissembling practiced in the present work keeps God's blessing away, for because of one man's sin God could not help them in battle, spoil had been taken, there was an accursed thing in the camp, and His blessing could not rest on the people till these things were cleansed from them, and that God has borne with it so long is a marvel.

Backbiting with envy, hatred, talebearing, accusing, condemning, blackening character, carrying false reports and slander, even taking the Spirit from hearers, is worse than Achan's sin in its defiling power over many and prevents blessing until removed. The sin of Achan is an evil whose influence is not confined to the sinner but corrupts minds and spirits and defiles many as a root of bitterness, so God cannot bless His people till it is purged by repentance and change of course.