God’s Word Translation
Joshua 7:1
1The people of Israel proved to be disloyal about the things claimed by the Lord. Achan, son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, great-grandson of Zerah, and a member of the tribe of Judah, took something that had been claimed by the Lord. So the Lord became angry with the people of Israel.
Joshua 7:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.
Context of Joshua 7:1
The people of Israel proved to be disloyal about the things claimed by the Lord. Achan, son of Carmi, grandson of Zabdi, great-grandson of Zerah, and a member of the tribe of Judah, took something that had been claimed by the Lord. So the Lord became angry with the people of Israel. 2Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai. Ai is near Beth Aven, east of Bethel. He said to them, “Go, look at that country.” So the men went and looked at Ai. 3They came back to Joshua and told him, “You don’t need to send all the troops. Only about two or three thousand men are needed to destroy Ai. Don’t tire the troops out by sending all of them. There are only a few troops in Ai.”
Read all of Joshua 7Joshua 7:1 word by word
וַיִּמְעֲל֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מַ֖עַל בַּחֵ֑רֶם וַיִּקַּ֡ח עָכָ֣ן בֶּן־כַּרְמִי֩ בֶן־זַבְדִּ֨י בֶן־זֶ֜רַח לְמַטֵּ֤ה יְהוּדָה֙ מִן־הַחֵ֔רֶם וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- committedמָעַלmâ‛al · be unfaithfulH4603
- a trespassמַ֫עַלma‛al · unfaithfulnessH4604
- in the accursed thingחֵ֫רֶםchêrem cherem · devoted thingH2764
- for Achanעָכָן‛âkân · AchanH5912
- the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Carmiכַּרְמִיkarmîy · CarmiH3756
- of Zabdiזַבְדִּיzabdîy · ZabdiH2067
- of Zerahזֶ֫רַחzerach · ZerahH2226
- of the tribeמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribeH4294
- of Judahיְהוּדָהyehûdâh · JudahH3063
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- and the angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
Cross-references for Joshua 7:1
- Joshua 7:20Then Achan answered Joshua, “It’s true. I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel. This is what I did:
- Joshua 22:16“All of the Lord’s congregation is asking, ‘What is this faithless act you have committed against the God of Israel?’ Today you have turned away from following the Lord by building an altar for yourselves. Today you have rebelled against the Lord!
- 2 Chronicles 24:18They abandoned the temple of the Lord God of their ancestors and worshiped idols and the poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah. This offense of theirs brought God’s anger upon Judah and Jerusalem.
- Ezra 9:6and said, “I am ashamed, my God. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven.
- Daniel 9:7You, Lord, are righteous. But we—the men of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, and all the Israelites whom you scattered in countries near and far—are still ashamed because we have been unfaithful to you.
- Joshua 22:20Didn’t Achan, son of Zerah, act faithlessly with the things claimed by the Lord? Didn’t the Lord become angry with the whole congregation of Israel? Achan wasn’t the only one who died because of his sin.”
- 1 Chronicles 2:6Zerah’s sons were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara —five in all.
- Joshua 6:17The city has been claimed by the Lord. Everything in it belongs to the Lord. Only the prostitute Rahab and all who are in the house with her will live because she hid the messengers we sent.
- Joshua 22:18You have turned away from following the Lord! Today you rebel against the Lord, and tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
- 2 Samuel 24:1The Lord became angry with Israel again, so he provoked David to turn against Israel. He said, “Go, count Israel and Judah.”
- 1 Chronicles 21:7God considered the census to be sinful, so he struck Israel ⌞with a plague⌟.
- Ecclesiastes 9:18Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
- Jonah 1:7Then the sailors said to each other, “Let’s throw dice to find out who is responsible for bringing this disaster on us.” So they threw dice, and the dice indicated that Jonah was responsible.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1Your own members are aware that there is sexual sin going on among them. This kind of sin is not even heard of among unbelievers—a man is actually married to his father’s wife.
- Hebrews 12:15Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you.
Commentaries on Joshua 7:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The children of Israel committed a trespass - It is certain that one only was guilty; and yet the trespass is imputed here to the whole congregation; and the whole congregation soon suffered shame and disgrace on the account, as their armies were defeated, thirty-six persons slain, and general terror spread through the whole camp. Being one body, God attributes the crime of the individual to the whole till the trespass was discovered, and by a public act…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Committed a trespass - (compare Leviticus 5:15 note), “acted treacherously and committed a breach of faith.” This suitably describes the sin of Achan, who had purloined and hidden away that which had been dedicated to God by the ban Joshua 6:19. The “trespass” was the act of one man, yet is imputed to all Israel, who also share in the penalty of it Joshua 7:5. This is not to be explained as though all the people participated in the covetousness which led…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The Israelites smitten at Ai. (1-5) Joshua's humiliation and prayer. (6-9) God instructs Joshua what to do. (10-5) Achan is detected, He is destroyed. (16-26) Verses 1-5 Achan took some of the spoil of Jericho. The love of the world is that root of bitterness, which of all others is most hardly rooted up. We should take heed of sin ourselves, lest by it many be defiled or disquieted, He 12:15; and take heed of having fellowship with sinners, lest we share…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1things devoted to destruction: See Leviticus 27:28–29; 1 Samuel 15:3. son of Zerah: Achan was part of an important family. He was a leader or potential leader, so his actions could influence others (Numbers 26:19–20).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11. the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing--There was one transgressor against the cherem, or ban, on Jericho, and his transgression brought the guilt and disgrace of sin upon the whole nation. Achan--called afterwards "Achar" ("trouble") (1Ch 2:7). Zabdi--or Zimri (1Ch 2:6). Zerah--or Zarah, son of Judah and Tamar (Ge 38:30). His genealogy is given probably to show that from a parentage so infamous the descendants would not be…Read the comment
Topics related to Joshua 7:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Joshua 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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