Joshua 7:1 - But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Joshua 7:1" mean?
This verse from Joshua 7:1 is a critical turning point in the book of Joshua. Let's break it down:
"But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things...": This is the core statement. The Israelites violated a direct command from God regarding "devoted things" or "things devoted to destruction" (Hebrew: herem).
"for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things.": This identifies the individual responsible for the trespass: Achan. The verse meticulously traces his lineage, emphasizing his connection to the tribe of Judah. He took some of the devoted things, which were spoils from the conquered city of Jericho. God had explicitly commanded that these spoils were to be destroyed as an offering to Him. The disobedience of this command is what led to the problem.
"Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.": This highlights the consequence. Because of Achan's disobedience, God's anger was kindled against the entire nation of Israel. This demonstrates the concept of corporate responsibility present in the Old Testament. While Achan was the individual who committed the sin, his actions had repercussions for the whole community.
Key concepts and implications:
The Herem (Devoted Things): After Jericho was conquered, God commanded that all its inhabitants and possessions were to be entirely destroyed, or devoted to destruction. This was a special case, and it was not always the policy for conquered cities. This was partly to prevent the Israelites from being tempted to worship foreign gods or to become materialistic and forgetful of their dependence on God. Taking anything dedicated to God was considered sacrilege.
Corporate Responsibility: This concept means that the actions of an individual can affect the entire community. In the Old Testament, Israel was seen as a single entity, bound together by covenant with God. Achan's sin was therefore viewed as a violation of that covenant by the entire nation.
Consequences of Disobedience: The verse underscores the serious consequences of disobeying God's commands. Achan's greed led to God's anger, which in turn led to the Israelites' defeat in the next battle (against the city of Ai).
Importance of Obedience: The verse emphasizes the importance of complete obedience to God. God had instructed them to destroy everything in Jericho as a sacrifice to Him. Achan's failure to do so had devastating consequences for the entire nation.
In essence, this verse sets the stage for the narrative that follows. It explains why the Israelites suffer a defeat in the subsequent battle against Ai. It also introduces the theme of dealing with sin within the community, which is a recurring motif in the Old Testament.
Joshua 7:1 - But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.
What does "Joshua 7:1" mean?
This verse from Joshua 7:1 is a critical turning point in the book of Joshua. Let's break it down:
"But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things...": This is the core statement. The Israelites violated a direct command from God regarding "devoted things" or "things devoted to destruction" (Hebrew: herem).
"for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things.": This identifies the individual responsible for the trespass: Achan. The verse meticulously traces his lineage, emphasizing his connection to the tribe of Judah. He took some of the devoted things, which were spoils from the conquered city of Jericho. God had explicitly commanded that these spoils were to be destroyed as an offering to Him. The disobedience of this command is what led to the problem.
"Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.": This highlights the consequence. Because of Achan's disobedience, God's anger was kindled against the entire nation of Israel. This demonstrates the concept of corporate responsibility present in the Old Testament. While Achan was the individual who committed the sin, his actions had repercussions for the whole community.
Key concepts and implications:
The Herem (Devoted Things): After Jericho was conquered, God commanded that all its inhabitants and possessions were to be entirely destroyed, or devoted to destruction. This was a special case, and it was not always the policy for conquered cities. This was partly to prevent the Israelites from being tempted to worship foreign gods or to become materialistic and forgetful of their dependence on God. Taking anything dedicated to God was considered sacrilege.
Corporate Responsibility: This concept means that the actions of an individual can affect the entire community. In the Old Testament, Israel was seen as a single entity, bound together by covenant with God. Achan's sin was therefore viewed as a violation of that covenant by the entire nation.
Consequences of Disobedience: The verse underscores the serious consequences of disobeying God's commands. Achan's greed led to God's anger, which in turn led to the Israelites' defeat in the next battle (against the city of Ai).
Importance of Obedience: The verse emphasizes the importance of complete obedience to God. God had instructed them to destroy everything in Jericho as a sacrifice to Him. Achan's failure to do so had devastating consequences for the entire nation.
In essence, this verse sets the stage for the narrative that follows. It explains why the Israelites suffer a defeat in the subsequent battle against Ai. It also introduces the theme of dealing with sin within the community, which is a recurring motif in the Old Testament.