Joshua 6

Chap. VII. ver. 1. But the children of Israel] That is, one among them committed a trespass; it is not an unusual form of speech in the Holy Scriptures, to ascribe that to many indefinitely, wherein one alone is concerned. “Took of the accursed thing:” that is, Achan purloined to his own use some of the spoils which were devoted to destruction, or appropriated to God’s treasury. Bp. Patrick. The Greek translation renders “took of the accursed thing,” by words which signify “purloined the accursed thing,” or “the thing that was consecrated to God,” as was all the silver and gold, chap. vi. 19; and, when God relates to Joshua the sin of Israel, as the reason of their flying before their enemies, He represents Achan’s crime as sacrilege, combined with theft and dissembling. Jos. Mede.

Joshua 6:2

2. — from Jericho to Ai.] The distance from Jericho to Ai was three leagues, according to Masius. Dr. Wells.

Joshua 6:5

5. — smote them in the going down.] In the descent from the hill on which Ai stood, to the plains of Jericho. Dr. Wells.

Joshua 6:9

9. — the rereward came after] That is, such of the people as attended unarmed; old men, women, and children, who came in the rear of the ark. Dr. Wells.

Joshua 6:17

17. — the city shall be accursed.] Shall be devoted to perpetual destruction. Dr. Wells. This word cherem, (which we translate accursed,) signifies sometimes the gift itself which is devoted to God for His uses, Levit. xxvii. 28; sometimes that which is devoted to perpetual destruction, by the right which God has to punish capital enmities to Him, as here in this place. Bp. Patrick. The city shall be devoted to an absolute destruction, and all the living creatures that are in it; and sequestered to a revenge and extirpation from the Lord. Bp. Hall.

Joshua 6:18

18. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves &c.] Take heed lest you meddle with any of the spoils which are devoted to God, and appropriate them to your own use, lest you bring yourselves under the same sentence of being devoted to destruction, and, more than that, lest ye expose the camp to the same danger. Bp. Patrick.

Joshua 6:20

20. — the wall fell down] This stupendous miracle, at the beginning of the war, was well calculated to terify the devoted nations, and to encourage the Israelites, by shewing that the loftiest walls and the strongest barriers afforded no protection against the Almighty God of Israel. Dr. Hales.

Joshua 6:23

23. — left them without the camp] It was not lawful to bring them into the camp, as it was rendered holy by the special presence or ark of the Lord, till they had ab- The builder of Jericho is cursed. The Israelites smitten at Ai. Before CHRIST 1431.

Joshua 6:26

26. — Joshua adjured them] He made all the people bind themselves by a solemn oath, adding thereto this curse on themselves, and their posterity, if any of them broke the oath. Dr. Wells.

— he shall lay the foundation thereof in his first-born.] He shall lose his firstborn on beginning the work. In the progress of it, the rest of his children shall die; and when he has finished it, (which is, when he has “set up the gates,”) he shall lose the last of them. This was punctually fulfilled in the reign of Ahab, upon Hiel, who ventured to rebuild it, 1 Kings xvi. 34. Bp. Patrick. This remarkable prophecy, concerning the fate of those who should rebuild Jericho, was fulfilled near 600 years after the time of its delivery. The prophecy and its completion are so plain in sacred history, that it is merely necessary to compare the words of Scripture here and at 1 Kings xvi. 34, to perceive its full force. Whiston. This curse was pronounced on the builder of Jericho, not on those who might inhabit it after it was built: for in aftertimes it was inhabited without scruple. Indeed this place was afterwards famous on many accounts. Here the Prophet sweetened the waters of the spring that supplied it and the neighbouring countries; here Herod built a sumptuous palace: this was the dwelling-place of Zaccheon, and was honoured with the presence of Christ, who vouchsafed to work some miracles here. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse.

The time will come, when every power of the world shall fall before the true Jesus, represented in the person of Joshua, whose name is also called Jesus in the Epistle to the Hebrews. As the wicked Canaanites were driven out of their land, when the measure of their iniquities was filled up; so shall the wicked be driven out of the earth, when that vengeance of God shall overtake them, which they have so long held in contempt

BUT the children of Israel committed a trespass in the 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.