Joshua 7

Chap. VII. Ver. 1—26. The sin and punishment of Achan.—We read in the preceding chapter, that Israel had burnt the city; but there was one man who had done “the work of the Lord deceitfully.” He is not charged with pity in sparing the inhabitants; but he coveted a Babylonish garment and a wedge of gold; and as the latter was devoted to the Lord, he was guilty of sacrilege also, which exposed him to the severest 17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he ley of P Achor, unto this day. He had, however, contrived to secrete the proto the people or the army; but as Moses said perty unknown t¢ in another case, “* Be sure e small town of Ai, Israel met with ved.

In an attack upon t a reverse of success, and, (the people were defeated, and some slain: upon this Joshua is led to inquire of the Lord the reason; and we may remark by the way, that it is well when our losses or misfortunes lead us to pause and inquire into the cause, and especially to inquire of the Lord by prayer. We have no doubt but it was by recurrence to the use of lots, which was a practice divinely sanctioned, that the culprit was discovered; and when he found this, his conscience forced him to make confession, though he could not be ignorant of the consequence. The injustice of putting his family to death has, however, been strongly argued by the enemies of revelation; and indeed the fact is questionable.

It was said, (ver. 15.) “He that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, and all that he hath;” but whether this included the persons of his family, or only his property, is still doubtful: nor can we pronounce on the equity of the punishment, supposing the former to be intended, unless we knew the age of his sons and daughters, whether in infancy, and unconscious of their father’s crime, or grown up to maturity, and accomplices with A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. 1 God encourageth Joshua. 3 The stratagem whereby Ai was taken. 30 Joshua buildeth an altar, 32 writeth the rma stones, ¢ 18a.6.5, g ver.5. that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, him. We know that in barbarous nations, a man’s children are considered as the father’s property, and when he is punished, usually participate in his atid.

This however sin will find you out,” so it prodoes not accord with our ideas of equity; and we are ready to say with Abraham, ((Genesis 18:23-25).) “‘Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked?—That be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ At all events, those “charge God foolishly,’ who censure his conduct in the dark.—(See exposition of Numbers xvi.) Chap. VIII. Ver. 1—35. The city of Ai taken by stratagem, and destroyed.—War can only be justified by the command of God, or by a case of special necessity. In this war against the Canaanites, the Israelites had the fullest sanction of the divine authority; and not only so, but also for employing those stratagems with which war is usually carried on.

In order to give the greater importance to this expedition, and perhaps to suggest to the enemy that they were greatly = PA at their strength and powers, the whole army is put in motion; and two powerful detachments were privately sent forward to lie in ambush, the one on the west, and the other on the north, to take advantage of circumstances. By a feint, therefore, common in all wars, the people of Ai being led to suppose that Israel had fled, as before, token: vii. 4.) Instantly pursued them, ee ae aaron

Notes on the verses

Chap. VII. Ver. 1. Achan.—Or “Achar.” So the word is spelt, not only in (1 Chronicles 2:7). but even in the last verse of this chapter it is spelt aoe Such variations often occur in Hebrew names, and even among our- Ver. 5. In the going down.—Namely, of the sun; or “in Morad,” making the word a proper name, as in our margin.;, Ver. 6. Dust upon their heads.—[Rending the clothes, beating the breast, tearing the hair, throwing dust upon the head, and falling prostrate, were usual signs of deep affliction and distress among many ancient nations. Homer describes Achilles lamenting the death of Patroclus, by throwing dust upon his head, and lying down in it. So Virgil, in the affecting picture of the distressed family of Latinus, represents the queen as beating her breast, tearing her purple vest with her hands: Lavinia, her daughter, rending her yellow hair and rosy cheeks; while the venerable King bewails his public and private Specs with torn garments, and with dust defiling his gray hairs.1— Ver.

11. The accursed thing.—Jericho being one of the accursed or devoted cities, Achan, in purloining this property, was implicated in the curse pronounced upon the city. Ver. 16. Tribe of Judah was taken.—That is, the lot was drawn on which Judah’s name was written. Compare (Joshua 15:1), &c. also (1 Chronicles 24:7). Ver. 21. A Babylonish garment.—{Addereth shinar, “a splendid or costly robe of Shinar,” the plain in which Babylon stood. Bochart and Calmet have shown at large, that Babylonish robes were very splendid, and in high reputation. Calmet says, they are generally allowed to have been of various colours, though some suppose they were woven thus; others that they were embroidered with the needle; and others that they were painted.

Stlius Italicus seems to think they were woven; Martial supposes them to have been embroidered with the needle; and Pliny and Apuleius speak of them as painted.]—Bagster.; Ver. 24. His sons and his daughters.—Probably to witness the punishment of their parent. In many nations, however, whole families were included in the punishment of their principal. So, on a certain occasion, the king of Pegu (East Indies) ordered several of his grandees to be burnt alive, with their wives and children. See Orient. Lit. No. 359. Ver. 25. All Israel stoned him with stones, and burned THEM with fire, after they had stoned THEM.—There is certainly something peculiar in the use of these pronouns. Thus much is certain, that Achan was stoned, and afterwards burned, with all his ill-gotten property; but were his goods stoned?

Certainly; they raised over both him and them “a great heap of stones;’’ but nothing is said of his children being either stoned or burnt. So the LXX., Vulgate, Syriac, &c.