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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
J O S H U A
CHAP. VII.
More than once we have found the affairs of Israel, even when they were
in the happiest posture and gave the most hopeful prospects, perplexed
and embarrassed by sin, and a stop thereby put to the most promising
proceedings. The golden calf, the murmuring at Kadesh, and the iniquity
of Peor, had broken their measures and given them great disturbance;
and in this chapter we have such another instance of the interruption
given to the progress of their arms by sin. But it being only the sin
of one person or family, and soon expiated, the consequences were not
so mischievous as of those other sins; however it served to let them
know that they were still upon their good behaviour. We have here,
I. The sin of Achan in meddling with the accursed thing,
II. The defeat of Israel before Ai thereupon,
III. Joshua’s humiliation and prayer on occasion of that sad disaster,
IV. The directions God gave him for the putting away of the
guilt which had provoked God thus to contend with them,
V. The discovery, trial, conviction, condemnation, and execution, of
the criminal, by which the anger of God was turned away,
And by this story it appears that, as the laws, so Canaan itself, “made
nothing perfect,” the perfection both of holiness and peace to God’s
Israel is to be expected in the heavenly Canaan only.
| The Sin of Achan. | B. C. 1451. |
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1 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.
2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside
Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them,
saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and
viewed Ai.
3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all
the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up
and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither;
for they are but few.
4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand
men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for
they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and
smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people
melted, and became as water.
The story of this chapter begins with a but. The Lord was with
Joshua, and his fame was noised through all that country, so the
foregoing chapter ends, and it left no room to doubt but that he would
go on as he had begun conquering and to conquer. He did right,
and observed his orders in every thing. But the children of Israel
committed a trespass, and so set God against them; and then even
Joshua’s name and fame, his wisdom and courage, could do them no
service. If we lose our God, we lose our friends, who cannot help us
unless God be for us. Now here is,
I. Achan sinning,
v. 1.
Here is only a general mention made of the sin; we shall afterwards
have a more particular account of it from his own mouth. The sin is
here said to be taking of the accursed thing, in disobedience to
the command and in defiance of the threatening,
In the sacking of Jericho orders were given that they should neither
spare any lives nor take any treasure to themselves; we read not of the
breach of the former prohibition (there were none to whom they showed
any mercy), but of the latter: compassion was put off and yielded to
the law, but covetousness was indulged. The love of the world is that
root of bitterness which of all others is most hardly rooted up. Yet
the history of Achan is a plain intimation that he of all the thousands
of Israel was the only delinquent in this matter. Had there been more
in like manner guilty, no doubt we should have heard of it: and it is
strange there were no more. The temptation was strong. It was easy to
suggest what a pity it was that so many things of value should be
burnt; to what purpose is this waste? In plundering cities, every man
reckons himself entitled to what he can lay his hands on. It was easy
to promise themselves secrecy and impunity. Yet by the grace of God
such impressions were made upon the minds of the Israelites by the
ordinances of God, circumcision and the passover, which they had lately
been partakers of, and by the providences of God which had been
concerning them, that they stood in awe of the divine precept and
judgment, and generously denied themselves in obedience to their God.
And yet, though it was a single person that sinned, the children of
Israel are said to commit the trespass, because one of their
body did it, and he was not as yet separated from them, nor disowned by
them. They did it, that is, by what Achan did guilt was brought upon
the whole society of which he was a member. This should be a warning to
us to take heed of sin ourselves, lest by it many be defiled or
disquieted
(Heb. xii. 15),
and to take heed of having fellowship with sinners, and of being in
league with them, lest we share in their guilt. Many a careful
tradesman has been broken by a careless partner. And it concerns us to
watch over one another for the preventing of sin, because others’ sins
may redound to our damage.
II. The camp of Israel suffering for the same: The anger of the Lord
was kindled against Israel; he saw the offence, though they did
not, and takes a course to make them see it; for one way or other,
sooner or later, secret sins will be brought to light; and, if men
enquire not after them, God will, and with his enquiries will awaken
theirs. Many a community is under guilt and wrath and is not aware of it
till the fire breaks out: here it broke out quickly.
1. Joshua sends a detachment to seize upon the next city that was in
their way, and that was Ai. Only 3000 men were sent, advice being
brought him by his spies that the place was inconsiderable, and needed
no greater force for the reduction of it,
Now perhaps it was a culpable assurance, or security rather that led
them to send so small a party on this expedition; it might also be an
indulgence of the people in the love of ease, for they will not have
all the people to labour thither. Perhaps the people were the
less forward to go upon this expedition because they were denied the
plunder of Jericho; and these spies were willing they should be
gratified. Whereas when the town was to be taken, though God by his own
power would throw down the walls, yet they must all labour
thither and labour there too, in walking round it. It did
not bode well at all that God’s Israel began to think much of their
labour, and contrived how to spare their pains. It is required that we
work out our salvation, though it is God that works in
us. It has likewise often proved of bad consequence to make too
light of an enemy. They are but few (say the spies), but, as few
as they were, they were too many for them. It will awaken our care and
diligence in our Christian warfare to consider that we wrestle with
principalities and powers.
2. The party he sent, in their first attack upon the town, were
repulsed with some loss
(v. 4, 5):
They fled before the men of Ai, finding themselves unaccountably
dispirited, and their enemies to sally out upon them with more vigour
and resolution than they expected. In their retreat they had about
thirty-six men cut off: no great loss indeed out of such a number, but
a dreadful surprise to those who had no reason to expect any other in
any attack than clear, cheap, and certain victory. And now, as it
proves, it is well there were but 3000 that fell under this disgrace.
Had the body of the army been there, they would have been no more able
to keep their ground, now they were under guilt and wrath, than this
small party, and to them the defeat would have been much more grievous
and dishonourable. However, it was bad enough as it was, and served,
(1.) To humble God’s Israel, and to teach them always to rejoice
with trembling. Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast as he
that putteth if off.
(2.) To harden the Canaanites, and to make them the more secure
notwithstanding the terrors they had been struck with, that their ruin,
when it came, might be the more dreadful.
(3.) To be an evidence of God’s displeasure against Israel, and a call
to them to purge out the old leaven. And this was principally
intended in their defeat.
3. The retreat of this party in disorder put the whole camp of Israel
into a fright: The hearts of the people melted, not so much for
the loss as for the disappointment. Joshua had assured them that the
living God would without fail drive out the Canaanites from before
them,
ch. iii. 10.
How can this event be reconciled to that promise? To every thinking man
among them it appeared an indication of God’s displeasure, and an omen
of something worse, and therefore no marvel it put them into such a
consternation; if God turn to be their enemy and fight against
them, what will become of them? True Israelites tremble when God is
angry.
6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his
face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the
elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all
brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of
the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content,
and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs
before their enemies!
9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall
hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name
from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
We have here an account of the deep concern Joshua was in upon this sad
occasion. He, as a public person, interested himself more than any
other in this public loss, and is therein an example to princes and
great men, and teaches them to lay much to heart the calamities that
befal their people: he is also a type of Christ, to whom the blood of
his subjects is precious,
Observe,
I. How he grieved: He rent his clothes
(v. 6),
in token of great sorrow for this public disaster, and especially a
dread of God’s displeasure, which was certainly the cause of it. Had it
been but the common chance of war (as we are too apt to express it), it
would not have become a general to droop thus under it; but, when God
was angry, it was his duty and honour to feel thus. One of the bravest
soldiers that ever was owned that his flesh trembled for fear of
God,
Ps. cxix. 120.
As one humbling himself under the mighty had of God, he fell to the
earth upon his face, not thinking it any disparagement to him to
lie thus low before the great God, to whom he directed this token of
reverence, by keeping his eye towards the ark of the Lord. The
elders of Israel, being interested in the cause and influenced by his
example, prostrated themselves with him, and, in token of deep
humiliation, put dust upon their heads, not only as mourners,
but as penitents; not doubting but it was for some sin or other that
God did thus contend with them (though they knew not what it was), they
humbled themselves before God, and thus deprecated the progress
of his wrath. This they continued until even-tide, to show that
it was not the result of a sudden feeling, but proceeded from a deep
conviction of their misery and danger if God were any way provoked to
depart from them. Joshua did not fall foul upon his spies for their
misinformation concerning the strength of the enemy, nor upon the
soldiers for their cowardice, though perhaps both were blameworthy, but
his eye is up to God; for is there any evil in the camp and
he has not done it? His eye is upon God as displeased, and that
troubles him.
II. How he prayed, or pleaded rather, humbly expostulating the case
with God, not sullen, as David when the Lord had made a breach upon
Uzzah, but much affected; his spirit seemed to be somewhat ruffled
and discomposed, yet not so as to be put out of frame for prayer; but,
by giving vent to his trouble in a humble address to God, he keeps his
temper and it ends well.
1. Now he wishes they had all taken up with the lot of the two tribes
on the other side Jordan,
v. 7.
He thinks it would have been better to have staid there and been cut
short than come hither to be cut off. This savours too much of
discontent and distrust of God, and cannot be justified, though the
surprise and disappointment to one deeply concerned for the public
interest may in part excuse it. Those words, wherefore hast thou
brought us over Jordan to destroy us? are too like what the
murmurers often said
xvi. 3; xvii. 3; Num. xiv. 2, 3);
but he that searches the heart knew they came from another spirit, and
therefore was not extreme to mark what he said amiss. Had Joshua
considered that this disorder which their affairs were put into no
doubt proceeded from something amiss, which yet might easily be
redressed, and all set to rights again (as often in his predecessor’s
time), he would not have spoken of it as a thing taken for granted that
they were delivered into the hands of the Amorites to be
destroyed. God knows what he does, though we do not; but this we
may be sure of, he never did nor ever will do us any wrong.
2. He speaks as one quite at a loss concerning the meaning of this
event
(v. 8):
“What shall I say, what construction can I put upon it, when
Israel, thy own people, for whom thou hast lately done such great
things and to whom thou hast promised the full possession of this land,
when they turn their backs before their enemies” (their
necks, so the word is), “when they not only flee before them,
but fall before them, and become a prey to them? What shall we think of
the divine power? Is the Lord’s arm shortened? Of the divine promise?
Is his word yea and nay? Of what God has done for us? Shall this be
all undone again and prove in vain?” Note, The methods of Providence
are often intricate and perplexing, and such as the wisest and best of
men know not what to say to; but they shall know hereafter,
John xiii. 7.
3. He pleads the danger Israel was now in of being ruined. He gives up
all for lost: “The Canaanites will environ us round, concluding
that now our defence having departed, and the scales being turned in
their favour, we shall soon be as contemptible as ever we were
formidable, and they will cut off our name from the earth,”
v. 9.
Thus even good men, when things go against them a little, are too apt
to fear the worst, and make harder conclusions than there is reason
for. But his comes in here as a plea: “Lord, let not Israel’s name,
which has been so dear to thee and so great in the world, be cut off.”
4. He pleads the reproach that would be cast on God, and that if Israel
were ruined his glory would suffer by it. They will cut off our
name, says he, yet, as if he had corrected himself for insisting
upon that, it is no great matter (thinks he) what becomes of our little
name (the cutting off of that will be a small loss), but what wilt
thou do for thy great name? this he looks upon and laments as the
great aggravation of the calamity. He feared it would reflect on God,
his wisdom and power, his goodness and faithfulness; what would the
Egyptians say? Note, Nothing is more grievous to a gracious soul than
dishonour done to God’s name. This also he insists upon as a plea for
the preventing of his fears and for a return of God’s favour; it is the
only word in all his address that has any encouragement in it, and he
concludes with it, leaving it to this issue, Father, glorify thy
name. The name of God is a great name, above every name; and,
whatever happens, we ought to believe that he will, and pray that he
would, work for his own name, that this may not be polluted.
This should be our concern more than any thing else. On this we must
fix our eye as the end of all our desires, and from this we must fetch
our encouragement as the foundation of all our hopes. We cannot urge a
better plea than this, Lord, What wilt thou do for thy great
name? Let God in all be glorified, and then welcome his whole
will.
10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest
thou thus upon thy face?
11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my
covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the
accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and
they have put it even among their own stuff.
12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before
their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies,
because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more,
except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves
against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There
is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst
not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed
thing from among you.
14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to
your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD
taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the
family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and
the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed
thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because
he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he
hath wrought folly in Israel.
We have here God’s answer to Joshua’s address, which, we may suppose,
came from the oracle over the ark, before which Joshua had prostrated
himself,
v. 6.
Those that desire to know the will of God must attend with their
desires upon the lively oracles, and wait at wisdom’s gates for
wisdom’s dictates,
And let those that find themselves under the tokens of God’s
displeasure never complain of him, but complain to him,
and they shall receive an answer of peace. The answer came immediately,
while he was yet speaking
(Isa. lxv. 24),
as that to Daniel,
&c.
I. God encourages Joshua against his present despondencies, and the
black and melancholy apprehensions he had of the present posture of
Israel’s affairs
(v. 10):
“Get thee up, suffer not thy spirits to droop and sink thus;
wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” No doubt Joshua did
well to humble himself before God, and mourn as he did, under the
tokens of his displeasure; but now God told him it was enough, he would
not have him continue any longer in that melancholy posture, for God
delights not in the grief of penitents when they afflict their souls
further than as it qualifies them for pardon and peace; the days even
of that mourning must be ended. Arise, shake thyself from the
dust,
Isa. liii. 2.
Joshua continued his mourning till eventide
(v. 6),
so late that they could do nothing that night towards the discovery of
the criminal, but were forced to put it off till next morning. Daniel
(Dan. ix. 21),
and Ezra
continued their mourning only till the time of the evening
sacrifice; that revived them both: but Joshua went past that time,
and therefore is thus roused: “Get thee up, do not lie all night
there.” Yet we find that Moses fell down before the Lord forty days and
forty nights, to make intercession for Israel,
Joshua must get up because he has other work to do than to lie there;
the accursed thing must be discovered and cast out, and the sooner the
better; Joshua is the man that must do it, and therefore it is time for
him to lay aside his mourning weeds, and put on his judge’s robes, and
clothe himself with zeal as a cloak. Weeping must not hinder
sowing, nor one duty of religion jostle out another. Every thing is
beautiful in its season. Shechaniah perhaps had an eye to this in what
he said to Ezra upon a like occasion. See
II. He informs him of the true and only cause of this disaster, and
shows him wherefore he contended with them
(v. 11):
Israel hath sinned. “Think not that God’s mind is changed, his
arm shortened, or his promise about to fail; no, it is sin, it is sin,
that great mischief-maker, that has stopped the current of divine
favours and has made this breach upon you.” The sinner is not named,
though the sin is described, but it is spoken of as the act of Israel
in general, till they have fastened it upon the particular person, and
their godly sorrow have so wrought a clearing of
themselves, as theirs did,
Observe how the sin is here made to appear exceedingly sinful.
1. They have transgressed my covenant, an express precept with
a penalty annexed to it. It was agreed that God should have all the
spoil of Jericho, and they should have the spoil of the rest of the
cities of Canaan; but, in robbing God of his part, they transgressed
this covenant.
2. They have even taken of the devoted thing, in contempt of the
curse which was so solemnly denounced against him that should dare to
break in upon God’s property, as if that curse had nothing in it
formidable.
3. They have also stolen; they did it clandestinely, as if they
could conceal it from the divine omniscience, and they were ready to
say, The Lord shall not see, or will not miss so small a matter
out of so great a spoil. Thus thou thoughtest I was altogether such
a one as thyself.
4. They have dissembled also. Probably, when the action was
over, Joshua called all the tribes, and asked them whether they had
faithfully disposed of the spoil according to the divine command, and
charged them, if they knew of any transgression, that they should
discover it, but Achan joined with the rest in a general protestation
of innocency, and kept his countenance, like the adulterous woman that
eats and wipes her mouth, and says, I have done no wickedness.
Nay,
5. They have put the accursed thing among their own goods, as if
they had as good a title to that as to any thing they have, never
expecting to be called to an account, nor designing to make
restitution. All this Joshua, though a wise and vigilant ruler, knew
nothing of, till God told him, who knows all the secret wickedness that
is in the world, which men know nothing of God could at this time have
told him who the person was that had done this thing, but he does not,
(1.) To exercise the zeal of Joshua and Israel, in searching out the
criminal.
(2.) To give the sinner himself space to repent and make confession.
Joshua no doubt proclaimed it immediately throughout the camp that
there was such a transgression committed, upon which, if Achan had
surrendered himself, and penitently owned his guilt, and prevented the
scrutiny, who knows but he might have had the benefit of that law which
accepted of a trespass-offering, with restitution, from those that had
sinned through ignorance in the holy things of the law?
Lev. v. 15, 16.
But Achan never discovering himself till the lot discovered him
evidenced the hardness of his heart, and therefore he found no
mercy.
III. He awakens him to enquire further into it, by telling him,
1. That this was the only ground for the controversy God had with them,
this, and nothing else; so that when this accursed thing was put away
he needed not fear, all would be well, the stream of their successes,
when this one obstruction was removed, would run as strong as ever.
2. That if this accursed thing were not destroyed they could not
expect the return of God’s gracious presence; in plain terms,
neither will I be with you any more as I have been, except
you destroy the accursed, that is, the accursed person, who is made
so by the accursed thing. That which is accursed will be destroyed; and
those whom God has entrusted to bear the sword bear it in vain if they
make it not a terror to that wickedness which brings these judgments of
God on a land. By personal repentance and reformation, we destroy the
accursed thing in our own hearts, and, unless we do this, we must never
expect the favour of the blessed God. Let all men know that it is
nothing but sin that separates between them and God, and, if it be not
sincerely repented of and forsaken, it will separate eternally.
IV. He directs him in what method to make this enquiry and prosecution.
1. He must sanctify the people, now over-night, that is, as it
is explained, he must command them to sanctify themselves,
v. 13.
And what can either magistrates or ministers do more towards
sanctification? They must put themselves into a suitable frame to
appear before God and submit to the divine scrutiny, must examine
themselves, now that God was coming to examine them, must prepare to
meet their God. They were called to sanctify themselves when they
were to receive the divine law
(Exod. xix.),
and now also when they were to come under the divine judgment;
for in both God is to be attended with the utmost reverence. “There is
an accursed thing in the midst of you, and therefore sanctify
yourselves,” that is, Let all that are innocent be able to clear
themselves, and be the more careful to cleanse themselves. The sin of
others may be improved by us as furtherances of our sanctification, as
the scandal of the incestuous Corinthian occasioned a blessed
reformation in that church,
2. He must bring them all under the scrutiny of the lot
(v. 14);
the tribe which the guilty person was of should first be discovered by
lot, then the family, then the household, and last of all the person.
The conviction came upon him thus gradually that he might have some
space given him to come in and surrender himself; for God is not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance. Observe, The Lord is said to take the tribe, and
family, and household, on which the lot fell, because the disposal
of the lot is of the Lord, and, however casual it seems, is under
the direction of infinite wisdom and justice; and to show that when the
sin of sinners finds them out God is to be acknowledged in it; it is he
that seizes them, and the arrests are in his name. God hath found
out the iniquity of thy servants,
Gen. xliv. 16.
It is also intimated with what a certain and unerring judgment the
righteous God does and will distinguish between the innocent and the
guilty, so that though for a time they seem involved in the same
condemnation, as the whole tribe did when it was first taken by the
lot, yet he who has his fan in his hand will effectually provide for
the taking out of the precious from the vile; so that though the
righteous be of the same tribe, and family, and household, with the
wicked, yet they shall never be treated as the wicked,
Gen. xviii. 25.
3. When the criminal was found out he must be put to death without
mercy
(Heb. x. 28),
and with all the expressions of a holy detestation,
He and all that he has must be burnt with fire, that there might be no
remainders of the accursed thing among them; and the reason given for
this severe sentence is because the criminal has,
(1.) Given a great affront to God: He has transgressed the covenant
of the Lord, who is jealous particularly for the honour of the holy
covenant.
(2.) He has done a great injury to the church of God: He has wrought
folly in Israel, has shamed that nation which is looked upon by all
its neighbours to be a wise and understanding people, has
infected that nation which is sanctified to God, and troubled that
nation of which he is the protector. These being crimes so heinous in
their nature, and of such pernicious consequence and example, the
execution, which otherwise would have come under the imputation of
cruelty, is to be applauded as a piece of necessary justice. It was
sacrilege; it was invading God’s rights, alienating his
property, and converting to a private use that which was devoted to his
glory and appropriated to the service of his sanctuary–this was the
crime to be thus severely punished, for warning to all people in all
ages to take heed how they rob God.
| Achan’s Arraignment; Achan’s Confession; The Execution of Achan. | B. C. 1451. |
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16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel
by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family
of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by
man; and Zabdi was taken:
18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son
of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of
Judah, was taken.
19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory
to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell
me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned
against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and
two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty
shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold,
they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the
silver under it.
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and,
behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought
them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid
them out before the LORD.
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of
Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold,
and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and
his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought
them unto the valley of Achor.
25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall
trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and
burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this
day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger.
Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor,
unto this day.
We have in these verses,
I. The discovery of Achan by the lot, which proved a perfect lot,
though it proceeded gradually. Though we may suppose that Joshua slept
the better, and with more ease and satisfaction, when he knew the worst
of the disease of that body of which, under God, he was the head, and
was put into a certain method of cure, yet he rose up early in the
morning
(v. 16),
so much was his heart upon it, to put away the accursed thing. We have
found Joshua upon other occasions an early riser; here it shows his
zeal and vehement desire to see Israel restored to the divine favour.
In the scrutiny observe,
1. That the guilty tribe was that of Judah, which was, and was to be,
of all the tribes, the most honourable and illustrious; this was an
alloy to their dignity, and might serve as a check to their pride: many
there were who were its glories, but here was one that was its
reproach. Let not the best families think it strange if there be those
found in them, and descending from them, that prove their grief and
shame. Judah was to have the first and largest lot in Canaan; the more
inexcusable is one of that tribe it, not content to wait for his own
share, he break in upon God’s property. The Jews’ tradition is that
when the tribe of Judah was taken the valiant men of that tribe drew
their swords, and professed they would not sheathe them again till they
saw the criminal punished and themselves cleared who knew their own
innocency.
2. That the guilty person was at length fastened upon, and the language
of the lot was, Thou art the man,
v. 18.
It was strange that Achan, being conscious to himself of guilt, when he
saw the lot come nearer and nearer to him, had not either the wit to
make an escape or the grace to make a confession; but his heart was
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, and it proved to be
to his own destruction. We may well imagine how his countenance
changed, and what horror and confusion seized him when he was singled
out as the delinquent, when the eyes of all Israel were fastened upon
him, and every one was ready to say, Have we found thee, O our
enemy? See here,
(1.) The folly of those that promise themselves secrecy in sin: the
righteous God has many ways of bringing to light the hidden works of
darkness, and so bringing to shame and ruin those that continue their
fellowship with those unfruitful works. A bird of the air, when
God pleases, shall carry the voice,
Eccl. x. 20.
See
&c.
(2.) How much it is our concern, when God is contending with us, to
find out what the cause of action is, what the particular sin is, that,
like Achan, troubles our camp. We must thus examine ourselves and
carefully review the records of conscience, that we may find out the
accursed thing, and pray earnestly with holy Job, Lord, show me
wherefore thou contendest with me. Discover the traitor and he
shall be no longer harboured.
II. His arraignment and examination,
Joshua sits judge, and, though abundantly satisfied of his guilt by the
determination of the lot, yet urges him to make a penitent confession,
that his soul might be saved by it in the other world, though he could
not give him any encouragement to hope that he should save his life by
it. Observe,
1. How He accosts him with the greatest mildness and tenderness that
could be, like a true disciple of Moses. He might justly have called
him “thief,” and “rebel,” “Raca,” and “thou fool,” but he call him
“son;” he might have adjured him to confess, as the high priest did our
blessed Saviour, or threatened him with the torture to extort a
confession, but for love’s sake he rather beseeches him: I pray thee
make confession. This is an example to all not to insult over those
that are in misery, though they have brought themselves into it by
their own wickedness, but to treat even offenders with the spirit of
meekness, not knowing, what we ourselves should have been and done if
God had put us into the hands of our own counsels. It is likewise an
example to magistrates, in executing justice, to govern their own
passions with a strict and prudent hand, and never suffer themselves to
be transported by them into any indecencies of behaviour or language,
no, not towards those that have given the greatest provocations. The
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Let them
remember the judgment is God’s, who is Lord of his anger. This
is the likeliest method of bringing offenders to repentance.
2. What he wishes him to do, to confess the fact, to confess it to God,
the party offended by the crime; Joshua was to him in god’s stead, so
that in confessing to him he confessed to God. Hereby he would satisfy
Joshua and the congregation concerning that which was laid to his
charge; his confession would also be an evidence of his repentance, and
a warning to others to take heed of sinning after the similitude of his
transgression: but that which Joshua aims at herein is that God might
be honoured by it, as the Lord, the God of infinite knowledge and
power, from whom no secrets are hid; and as the God of Israel, who, as
he does particularly resent affronts given to his Israel, so he does
the affronts given him by Israel. Note, In confessing sin, as we take
shame to ourselves, so we give glory to God as righteous God, owning
him justly displeased with us, and as a good God, who will not improve
our confessions as evidences against us, but is faithful and just to
forgive when we are brought to own that he would be faithful and just
if he should punish. By sin we have injured God in his honour. Christ
by his death has made satisfaction for the injury; but it is required
that we by repentance show our good will to his honour, and, as far as
in us lies, give glory to him. Bishop Patrick quotes the Samaritan
chronicle, making Joshua to say here to Achan, Lift up thy eyes to
the king of heaven and earth, and acknowledge that nothing can be
hidden from him who knoweth the greatest secrets.
III. His confession, which now at last, when he saw it was to no
purpose to conceal his crime, was free and ingenuous enough,
Here is,
1. A penitent acknowledgment of fault. “Indeed I have sinned; what I am
charged with is too true to be denied and too bad to be excused. I own
it, I lament it; the Lord is righteous in bringing it to light, for
indeed I have sinned.” This is the language of a penitent that is sick
of his, and whose conscience is loaded with it. “I have nothing to
accuse any one else of, but a great deal to say against myself; it is
with me that the accursed thing is found; I am the man who has
perverted that which was right and it profited me not.” And that
wherewith he aggravates the sin is that it was committed against the
Lord God of Israel. He was himself an Israelite, a sharer with the
rest of that exalted nation in their privileges, so that, in offending
the God of Israel, he offended his own God, which laid him under
the guilt of the basest treachery and ingratitude imaginable.
2. A particular narrative of the fact: Thus and thus have I
done. God had told Joshua in general that a part of the devoted
things was alienated, but is to him to draw from Achan an account of
the particulars; for, one way or other, God will make sinners’ own
tongues to fall upon them
(Ps. lxiv. 8);
if ever he bring them to repentance, they will be their own accusers,
and their awakened consciences will be instead of a thousand witnesses.
Note, It becomes penitents, in the confession of their sins to God, to
be very particular; not only, “I have sinned,” but, “In this and that
instance I have sinned,” reflecting with regret upon all the steps that
led to the sin and all the circumstances that aggravated it and made it
exceedingly sinful: thus and thus have I done. He confesses,
(1.) To the things taken. In plundering a house in Jericho he found a
goodly Babylonish garment; the word signifies a robe, such as princes
wore when they appeared in state, probably it belonged to the King of
Jericho; it was far fetched, as we translate it, from Babylon. A
garment of divers colours, so some render it. Whatever it was, in his
eyes it made a very glorious show. “A thousand pities” (thinks Achan)
“that it should be burnt; then it will do nobody any good; if I take it
for myself, it will serve me many a year for my best garment.” Under
these pretences, he makes bold with this first, and things it no harm
to save it from the fire; but, his hand being thus in, he proceeds to
take a bag of money, two hundred shekels, that is one hundred
ounces of silver, and a wwedge of gold which weighed fifty
shekels, that is twenty-five ounces. He could not plead that, in
taking these, he saved them from the fire (for the silver and
gold were to be laid up in the treasury); but those that
make a slight excuse to serve in daring to commit one sin will have
their hearts so hardened by it that they will venture upon the next
without such an excuse; for the way of sin is downhill. See what a peer
prize it was for which Achan ran this desperate hazard, and what an
unspeakable loser he was by the bargain. See
(2.) He confesses the manner of taking them.
[1.] the sin began in the eye. He saw these fine things, as Eve saw
the forbidden fruit, and was strangely charmed with the sight. See what
comes of suffering the heart to walk after the eyes, and what need we
have to make this covenant with our eyes, that if they wander they
shall be sure to weep for it. Look not thou upon the wine that is
red, upon the woman that is fair; close the right eye that thus
offense thee, to prevent the necessity of plucking it out, and casting
it from thee,
[2.] It proceeded out of the heart. He owns, I coveted them.
thus lust conceived and brought forth this sin. Those that would be
kept from sinful actions must mortify and check in themselves sinful
desires, particularly the desire of worldly wealth, which we more
particularly call covetousness. O what a world of evil is the
love money the root of! Had Achan looked upon these things with an eye
of faith, he would have seen them accursed things, and would have
dreaded them, but, looking upon them with an eye of sense only, he saw
them goodly things, and coveted them. It was not the looking, but the
lusting that ruined him.
[3.] When he had committed it he was very industrious to conceal it.
Having taken of the forbidden treasures, fearing lest any search should
be made for prohibited goods, he hid them in the earth, as one
that resolved to keep what he had gotten, and never to make
restitution. Thus does Achan confess the whole matter, that God might
be justified in the sentence passed upon him. See the deceitfulness
of sin; that which is pleasing in the commission is bitter in the
reflection; at the last it bites like a serpent. Particularly, see what
comes of ill-gotten goods, and how those will be cheated that rob God.
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up
again.
IV. His conviction. God had convicted him by the lot; he had convicted
himself by his own confession; but, that no room might be left for the
most discontented Israelite to object against the process, Joshua has
him further convicted by the searching of his tent, in which the goods
were found which he confessed to. Particular notice is taken of the
haste which the messengers made that were sent to search: They ran
to the tent
(v. 22),
not only to show their readiness to obey Joshua’s orders, but to show
how uneasy they were till the camp was cleared of the accursed thing,
that they might regain the divine favour. Those that feel themselves
under wrath find themselves concerned not to defer the putting away of
sin. Delays are dangerous, and it is not time to trifle. When the
stolen goods were brought they were laid out before the Lord
(v. 23),
that all Israel might see how plain the evidence was against Achan, and
might adore the strictness of God’s judgments in punishing so severely
the stealing of such small things, and yet the justice of his judgments
in maintaining his right to devoted things, and might be afraid of ever
offending in the like kind. In laying them out before the Lord they
acknowledged his title to them, and waited to receive his directions
concerning them. Note, Those that think to put a cheat upon God do but
deceive themselves; what is taken from him he will recover
and he will be a loser by no man at last.
V. His condemnation. Joshua passes sentence upon him
(v. 25):
Why hast thou troubled us? There is the ground of the sentence.
O, how much hast thou troubled us! so some read it. He refers to
what was said when the warning was given not to meddle with the
accursed thing
(ch. vi. 18),
lest you make the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. Note,
Sin is a very troublesome thing, not only to the sinner himself, but to
all about him. He that is greedy of gain, as Achan was,
troubles his own house
and all the communities he belongs to. Now (says Joshua) God shall
trouble thee. See why Achan was so severely dealt with, not only
because he had robbed God, but because he had troubled Israel; over his
head he had (as it were) this accusation written, “Achan, the
troubler of Israel,” as Ahab,
This therefore is his doom: God shall trouble thee. Note, the
righteous God will certainly recompense tribulation to those that
trouble his people,
Those that are troublesome shall be troubled. Some of the Jewish
doctors, from that word which determines the troubling of him to
this day, infer that therefore he should not be troubled in the
world to come; the flesh was destroyed that spirit might be saved, and,
if so, the dispensation was really less severe than it seemed. In the
description both of his sin and of his punishment, by the trouble that
was in both, there is a plain allusion to his name Achan, or, as he is
called,
Achar, which signifies trouble. He did too much answer
his name.
VI. His execution. No reprieve could be obtained; a gangrened member
must be cut off immediately. When he is proved to be an anathema, and
the troubler of the camp, we may suppose all the people cry out against
him, Away with him, away with him! Stone him, stone him! Here
is,
1. The place of execution. They brought him out of the camp, in token
of their putting far from them that wicked person,
1 Cor. v. 13.
When our Lord Jesus was made a curse for us, that by his trouble we
might have peace, he suffered as an accursed thing without the
gate, bearing our reproach,
The execution was at a distance, that the camp which was disturbed by
Achan’s sin might not be defiled by his death.
2. The persons employed in his execution. It was the act of all Israel,
They were all spectators of it, that they might see and fear. Public
executions are public examples. Nay, they were all consenting to his
death, and as many as could were active in it, in token of the
universal detestation in which they held his sacrilegious attempt, and
their dread of God’s displeasure against them.
3. The partakers with him in the punishment; for he perished not
alone in his iniquity,
ch. xxii. 20.
(1.) The stolen goods were destroyed with him, the garment burnt, as it
should have been with the rest of the combustible things in Jericho,
and the silver and gold defaced, melted, lost, and buried, in the ashes
of the rest of his goods under the heap of stones, so as never
to be put to any other use.
(2.) All his other goods were destroyed likewise, not only his tent,
and the furniture of that, but his oxen, asses, and sheep, to
show that goods gotten unjustly, especially if they be gotten by
sacrilege, will not only turn to no account, but will blast and waste
the rest of the possessions to which they are added. The eagle in the
fable, that stole flesh from the altar, brought a coal of fire with it,
which burnt her nest,
Hab. ii. 9, 10; Zech. v. 3, 4.
Those lose their own that grasp at more than their own.
(3.) His sons and daughters were put to death with him. Some indeed
think that they were brought out
(v. 24)
only to be the spectators of their father’s punishment, but most
conclude that they died with him, and that they must be meant
where it is said they burned them with fire, after they had stoned
them with stones. God had expressly provided that magistrates
should not put the children to death for the fathers’; but he did not
intend to bind himself by that law, and in this case he had expressly
ordered
(v. 15)
that the criminal, and all that he had, should be burnt. Perhaps his
sons and daughters were aiders and abettors in the villany, had helped
to carry off the accursed thing. It is very probable that they assisted
in the concealment, and that he could not hide them in the midst of his
tent but they must know and keep his counsel, and so they became
accessaries ex post facto–after the fact; and, if they were
ever so little partakers in the crime, it was son heinous that they
were justly sharers in the punishment. However God was hereby
glorified, and the judgment executed was thus made the more
tremendous.
4. The punishment itself that was inflicted on him. He was stoned (some
think as a sabbath breaker, supposing that the sacrilege was committed
on the sabbath day), and then his dead body was burnt, as an accursed
thing, of which there should be no remainder left. The concurrence of
all the people in this execution teaches us how much it is the interest
of a nation that all in it should contribute what they can, in their
places, to the suppression of vice and profaneness, and the reformation
of manners; sin is a reproach to any people, and therefore every
Israelite indeed will have a stone to throw at it.
5. The pacifying of God’s wrath hereby
(v. 26):
The Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. The putting
away of sin by true repentance and reformation, as it is the only way,
so it is a sure and most effectual way, to recover the divine favour.
Take away the cause, and the effect will cease.
VII. The record of his conviction and execution. Care was taken to
preserve the remembrance of it, for warning and instruction to
posterity.
1. A heap of stones was raised on the place where Achan was executed,
every one perhaps of the congregation throwing a stone to the heap, in
token of his detestation of the crime.
2. A new name was given to the place; it was called theValley of
Achor, or trouble. This was a perpetual brand of infamy upon
Achan’s name, and a perpetual warning to all people not to invade God’s
property. By this severity against Achan, the honour of Joshua’s
government, now in the infancy of it, was maintained, and Israel, at
their entrance upon the promised Canaan, were reminded to observe, at
their peril, the provisos and limitations of the grant by which they
held it. The Valley of Achor is said to be given for a door
of hope, because when we put away the accursed thing then there
begins to be hope in Israel,
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