Joshua 7:13-26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 7:10-15

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, Josh. 7:6. 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, Prov. 8:34. 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... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 7:16-26

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 (Josh. 7:16), so much was his heart upon it, to put away the accursed thing. We have found Joshua upon other occasions... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:13

Up, sanctify the people ,.... The word "up" not only signifies getting up from the ground on which he lay, but to bestir himself, and to be active in what he would now be enjoined and directed to do, and in the first place to "sanctify the people", that is, by giving them orders to do it themselves: and say, sanctify yourselves against tomorrow ; either by some ceremonial ablutions, or by the performance of moral duties, as prayer, repentance, and good works; or rather, they were to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:14

In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes ,.... One or more of every tribe, according to the number of them, were to be brought the next morning before Joshua and the elders of Israel, the sanhedrim and council of the nation, and very probably the tabernacle, where they assembled for this purpose: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh ; how a tribe and so a family or household were taken is differently understood; what some of the Jewish... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:15

And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire ,.... He that is taken by lot, and the accursed thing found with him, this should be the death, burning, one of the four capital punishments with the Jews: this was ordered in this case, because the city of Jericho, accursed or devoted, was burnt with fire, Joshua 6:24 , he and all that he hath ; the particulars of which are enumerated, Joshua 7:24 , because he hath transgressed the covenant... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:16

So Joshua rose up early in the morning ,.... Which showed his readiness and diligence to obey the command of God; and as there was much work to do, it required that he should rise early: and brought Israel by their tribes : before the Lord, at the tabernacle, where he and the high priest and elders attended; each tribe was thither brought by their representatives: and the tribe of Judah was taken : either his stone in the breastplate of the high priest looked dull, as some say, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:17

And he brought the family of Judah ,.... That is, the tribe of Judah, as Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it, F26 So R. Sol. Ohel Moed, fol. 94. 2. ; or rather, the several families in that tribe, even the heads of them: and he took the family of the Zarhites : which descended from Zerah the son of Judah; that was taken by lot: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man ; and cast lots on them: and Zabdi was taken : that part of the family of the Zarhites which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:18

And he brought his household man by man ,.... The household of Zabdi, the heads of each house therein: and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken ; the lot fell upon him, and he was laid hold on, and detained. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:19

And Joshua said unto Achan, my son ,.... Treating him in a very humane, affectionate, and respectable manner, though so great a criminal, being a subject of his, and of the same religion and nation: give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel , by acknowledging his omniscience, justice, power, truth, and faithfulness; as in his promises so in his threatenings: and make confession unto him ; of the sin he had been guilty of; this Joshua might urge, partly for his own good, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 7:20

And Achan answered Joshua, and said ,.... He made a free and open confession of his sin: indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel ; against him who had been so good to Israel in many instances, and particularly in delivering Jericho into their hands in so extraordinary a manner; against a law of his, respecting the spoil of that city, which sin was the more aggravated thereby; and that he had committed the sin he was taken for and charged with, he owns was a true and real... read more

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