Joshua 7:21

21. A goodly Babylonish garment [Literally, a mantle of Shinar, one of excellence. The mention of this garment indicates that Jericho had enriched itself by commerce with Babylon, in the land of Shinar.

Genesis 11:2. This was rendered easy by the caravans of merchantmen, such as that to which Joseph was sold, (Genesis 37:25-28,) which frequently must have passed near Jericho on their journeys between Egypt and the East.] The original intimates that it was a splendid mantle. Some think it was a military cloak, embroidered with brilliant colors; others, that it was a kingly robe, woven with gold. It is probable that its appearance dazzled the eye of Achan, and through the eye awakened covetousness in his heart. [Herodotus (i, 195) says: “The dress of the Babylonians is a linen tunic reaching to the feet, and above it another tunic made in wool, besides which they have a short white cloak thrown around them.” The Babylonian cylinders furnish us with representations of a flounced robe, reaching from the neck to the feet.]

And two hundred shekels of silver The word shekel signifies weight, generally a definite weight of unstamped gold, silver, brass, or iron. Here it may mean definite pieces of silver passing current, with the weight marked. In different periods the shekel varied in value. The shekel of the sanctuary differed from the shekel of the king. Its usual value was about sixty-two and one half cents. The whole value of the silver was about $125, when a dollar had nearly ten times the purchasing power that it now has.

A wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight The shekel of gold was about five and a half dollars, so that this oblong or tongue-shaped bar was worth $275.

And the silver under it That is, under the Babylonish garment. All the stolen goods were probably placed in some box or bag, and buried where no human eye could see them. The frankness and apparent penitence of this confession affects our hearts with sorrow for the sad fate of Achan. It lacked but two elements spontaneity and seasonableness which will be lacking in the confession of every impenitent sinner before the judgment seat of Christ. The whole philosophy of temptation and sin is here strikingly illustrated. In the sacking of Jericho, Achan, unobserved by any witness, finds, possibly in the king’s palace, a beautiful robe and a quantity of gold and silver. The splendour of the garment and the glitter of the precious metals struck his eye and awakened desire. Instead of turning away his eyes, he continued to look and to desire, till desire ripened into volition, and this into action. “When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”