Joshua 7:26

_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._ They raised over him a great head of stones. It is customary to raise cairns over the graves of criminals or infamous persons in the East still. Every honest Arab, on passing the grave of a robber, indicates his detestation of the crime and its perpetrator by adding a stone to the cairn (cf. Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17). CALLED, THE VALLEY OF ACHOR (TROUBLE), UNTO THIS DAY. So painful an episode would give notoriety to the spot; and it is more than once noticed by the sacred writers of a later age ...

16-26 See 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. See also, how much it is our concern, when God is contending with us, to find out the cause that troubles us. We must pray with holy Job, Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Achan's sin began in the eye. He saw these fine things, as Eve saw the forbidden fruit. 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. It proceeded out of the heart. They that would be kept from sinful actions, must mortify and check in themselves sinful desires, particularly the desire of worldly wealth. Had Achan looked upon these things with an eye of faith, he would have seen they were accursed things, and would have dreade...

Verse Joshua 7:26. _THEY RAISED OVER HIM A GREAT HEAP OF STONES_] The burial-places, both of heroes and eminent culprits, were anciently thus distinguished; and transactions of this kind gave rise to those great piles of stones called _cairns_, that are so frequently to be met with, especially in northern countries. FROM the whole of this account we may see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the great danger of not _withstanding_ its first approaches. By _covetousness_ many lives and many souls have been destroyed, and yet the living lay it not to heart! Who fears the _love of money_, provided he can get riches? Through the intensity of this desire, every part of the surface of the earth, and as far as possible its bowels, are ransacked in order to get wealth; and God alone can tell, who sees all things, to how many private crimes, _frauds_, and

A GREAT HEAP OF STONES - As a memorial of Achan’s sin and its punishment. (Compare Joshua 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17.) THE VALLEY OF ACHOR - Compare the marginal references. This valley formed part of the northern border of Judah Joshua 15:7; and must therefore have lain among the ridges which cross the plain to the south of Jericho. But its exact site is uncertain. (Conder identifies it with Wady Kelt.)...

EXPOSITION THE DISCOVERY OF ACHAN'S SIN.— JOSHUA 7:16 THE FAMILY OF JUDAH. The expression מִשְׁפַתַת is remarkable. Many commentators would read מִשְׁפְחֹת, not without some MSS. authority. Keil objects that the Chaldee and Syriac have the singular. But the LXX. has κατὰ δήμους, and the Vulgate _juxta familias. _On the whole it seems more probable that as מִשְׁפַחַת occurs twice in this passage, it has been so pointed where the same letters occur for the third time, than that, with Peele, it means tribe (so also Gesenius and Winer); or that, as others suggest, it is used for _omnes _or _singulas genres. _See, however,...

AND THEY RAISED OVER HIM A GREAT HEAP OF STONES UNTO THIS DAY,.... That is, at the place where he suffered, or where they laid his ashes, they heaped up a pile of stones over him, as a monument whereby it might be known hereafter where he was executed and was buried; and which pile continued to the writing of this history: such sort of funeral monuments were usual with the Heathens s also as well as with the Jews, see Joshua 8:29; so the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger; or the effects of it ceased; the outward face of things was altered, the dealings of God in his providence with Israel were changed; though, properly speaking, there is no change in God, nor such affections and passions in him as in man: WHEREFORE THE NAME OF THE PLACE WAS CALLED THE VALLEY OF ACHOR UNTO THIS DAY; from the trouble Achan met with, and the people of Israel on his account, see...

7. ACHAN'S SIN AND ISRAEL'S DEFEAT CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The defeat of Israel (Joshua 7:1)_ 2. The source of the defeat revealed (Joshua 7:6) 3. The transgressor found out (Joshua 7:16) 4. The judgment of Achan (Joshua 7:24) The insignificant place Ai brings defeat. Joshua sent men to view Ai. What authority was given to him to do so? There was no need to send spies once more, for the Lord had said, that the whole land was given to them. They report Ai a place without walls and recommend that only two or three thousand men be sent up. Defeat follows. Ai means “ruins.” It is mentioned for the first time in...

VII. ACHAN'S TRESPASS, ISRAEL'S DEFEAT, ACHAN'S PUNISHMENT. Joshua 7:1. The name should probably be Achar. The narrative presents no difficulties till the end of the chapter, where Achan's punishment is recorded. Joshua 7:2. Ai: probably 2 miles SE. of Bethel (p. 31). Joshua 7:9. And what wilt thou do for (or on account of) THY GREAT NAME? The meaning is that if Israel is destroyed there will be none to worship Yahweh; an interesting example of the ancient belief in the close connexion between the deity and his worshippers. Joshua 7:19. GIVE. LORD: _ i.e_., tell the truth, _cf._...

THE FIERCENESS. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia_ (App-6)....

The Discovery and Punishment of Achan 16. _brought Israel by their tribes_ Joshua first caused the heads of the tribes to come before the Ark, and lots were cast for them, and the lot fell upon Judah; then the heads of the clans of Judah were brought, and the lot fell upon the Zarhites; then the heads of the houses of the Zarhites were brought before the Ark, and the lot fell upon Zabdi; then the men of his house were brought, and the lot fell upon Achan, the son of Carmi....