New Living Translation
Joshua 7:1
1But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah.
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
But Israel violated the instructions about the things set apart for the Lord. A man named Achan had stolen some of these dedicated things, so the Lord was very angry with the Israelites. Achan was the son of Carmi, a descendant of Zimri son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah. 2Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. 3When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”
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 7:20Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Joshua 22:16“The whole community of the Lord demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the Lord and build an altar for yourselves in rebellion against him?
- 2 Chronicles 24:18They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah poles and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem.
- Ezra 9:6I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
- Daniel 9:7“Lord, you are in the right; but as you see, our faces are covered with shame. This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us because of our disloyalty to you.
- Joshua 22:20Didn’t divine anger fall on the entire community of Israel when Achan, a member of the clan of Zerah, sinned by stealing the things set apart for the Lord? He was not the only one who died because of his sin.”
- 1 Chronicles 2:6The sons of Zerah were Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Darda—five in all.
- Joshua 6:17Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
- Joshua 22:18And yet today you are turning away from following the Lord. If you rebel against the Lord today, he will be angry with all of us tomorrow.
- 2 Samuel 24:1Once again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he caused David to harm them by taking a census. “Go and count the people of Israel and Judah,” the Lord told him.
- 1 Chronicles 21:7God was very displeased with the census, and he punished Israel for it.
- Ecclesiastes 9:18Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
- Jonah 1:7Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit.
- 1 Corinthians 5:1I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.
- Hebrews 12:15Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries