The taking of the devoted things from Jericho by Achan son of Carmi is one of the most sobering episodes in the Old Testament narrative of Israel's conquest of Canaan. Recorded in Joshua 7, this event immediately follows the miraculous collapse of Jericho's walls and illustrates the severe consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. God had strictly commanded that all plunder from Jericho was to be set apart—either totally destroyed or placed into the sanctuary treasury as devoted things (cherem). Achan's secret act of covetousness brought divine anger upon the entire congregation, leading to a humiliating military defeat at the city of Ai and demonstrating that spiritual purity and absolute obedience were indispensable conditions for inheriting the Promised Land.

Introduction

The account of Achan taking the devoted things stands as a stark turning point in the Book of Joshua. Up to this moment, Israel had experienced unbroken triumph under the leadership of Joshua. The miraculous crossing of the Jordan River and the supernatural downfall of Jericho had affirmed that Yahweh was actively fighting for His covenant people. However, the narrative transitions abruptly from the victory of Joshua 6 to the solemn tragic failure of Joshua 7. The text begins with a chilling disclosure: 'But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and Yahweh's anger burned against the children of Israel' (Joshua 7:1).

This episode introduces critical theological concepts that reverberate throughout the Old and New Testaments. Primary among these is the principle of corporate solidarity, wherein the secret sin of a single individual compromises the covenant standing and safety of the entire community. Furthermore, the narrative reveals the devastating nature of covetousness, tracing its internal progression from sight to desire, action, and concealment. Through the investigation and eventual execution of Achan in the Valley of Achor, the biblical narrative underscores that Yahweh's presence among His people demands uncompromised holiness and that hidden sin will inevitably be exposed and judged.

The Divine Decree: The Concept of Cherem

To understand the severity of Achan's crime, one must comprehend the biblical concept of cherem, often translated as 'the ban' or 'devoted things'. Prior to the assault on Jericho, Joshua issued unambiguous instructions to the Israelite army regarding the city and its contents. Jericho was the firstfruits of the conquest, and as such, belonged entirely to Yahweh. Joshua declared in Joshua 6:17–19:

'The city shall be devoted, even it and all that is in it, to Yahweh... But as for you, only keep yourselves from the devoted things, lest when you have devoted them, you take of the devoted things; so you would make the camp of Israel accursed, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are holy to Yahweh. They shall come into Yahweh's treasury.'

The decree of cherem meant that items was set apart exclusively for Yahweh. They were holy, meaning they could not be converted to personal use or private gain. To confiscate cherem for oneself was not merely theft; it was sacrilege and robbery of God. Joshua explicitly warned that violating this command would transfer the curse of destruction from the Canaanites onto Israel itself, bringing trouble upon the camp. Achan was fully aware of this solemn prohibition, yet he chose to disregard the divine command for personal enrichment.

The Transgression: Achan's Secret Theft

While the walls of Jericho were falling and the Israelite soldiers were executing the divine command, Achan was lured by the valuable items he encountered. When later interrogated by Joshua, Achan himself described the exact psychological process of his temptation and fall: 'When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the earth in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it' (Joshua 7:21).

Achan's confession mirrors the classic biblical pattern of temptation first observed in the Garden of Eden and later warned against throughout Wisdom literature:

  • Vision: He saw the luxurious Babylonian garment, the silver, and the bar of gold.
  • Desire: He allowed visual appraisal to mature into unlawful covetousness.
  • Action: He took the forbidden items, violating God's explicit boundary.
  • Concealment: He buried the stolen loot beneath his tent, attempting to hide his crime from God and his fellow Israelites.

The stolen items represented immense material wealth. The Babylonian garment was an imported, highly prized luxury item, signifying pride and worldliness. The gold bar weighing fifty shekels and two hundred shekels of silver constituted substantial earthly fortune. By burying these treasures within his personal tent, Achan sought to integrate devoted, holy property into his private estate, corrupting his home and the surrounding community.

The Consequence: Defeat at Ai

Unaware of Achan's hidden transgression, Joshua proceeded with the military campaign to conquer the central hill country, targeting the small city of Ai. Spies sent by Joshua returned with an optimistic assessment, reporting that Ai was small and required only two or three thousand troops to conquer. Confident in their military momentum, Joshua dispatched approximately three thousand men to take the city.

The battle, however, resulted in immediate disaster. The men of Ai routed the Israelite force, chasing them from the city gates and killing thirty-six Israelite soldiers. This defeat was catastrophic not because of the total number of casualties, but because it shattered Israel's spiritual confidence and exposed their vulnerability. The covenant promise that God would fight for them appeared broken. As Joshua 7:5 records, 'the hearts of the people melted, and became like water.' Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothes, fell prostrate before the Ark of Yahweh until evening, and put dust on their heads in deep lamentation and confusion.

The Divine Revelation and Investigation

As Joshua poured out his dismay, questioning why Yahweh had brought Israel across the Jordan only to deliver them into the hands of the Amorites, God commanded Joshua to stand up. Yahweh revealed that Israel had sinned, broken the covenant, stolen devoted property, lied, and placed cursed items among their personal possessions. God declared in Joshua 7:12: 'Therefore the children of Israel can't stand before their enemies... I will not be with you any more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.'

To expose the guilty party, Yahweh instituted a systematic process of elimination by sacred lot or divine selection. The whole nation was instructed to sanctify themselves for the following morning. The investigation proceeded in narrowing circles:

  1. Tribe: All twelve tribes presented themselves, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
  2. Clan: The clans of Judah were brought forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken.
  3. Family: The Zerahites were brought family by family, and the household of Zabdi was taken.
  4. Individual: Zabdi's household was brought man by man, and Achan son of Carmi was taken.

This prolonged, deliberate process gave Achan ample opportunity to step forward voluntarily and confess his sin. Yet he remained silent until the divine selection isolated him directly before Joshua and the nation.

Judgement in the Valley of Achor

Upon his exposure, Joshua urged Achan with remarkable pastoral gravity: 'My son, give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done. Don't hide it from me' (Joshua 7:19). Achan made a full confession, revealing where he had hidden the goods. Messengers ran to his tent, unearthed the Babylonian garment, silver, and gold, and laid them out before Yahweh and all Israel.

Because Achan had brought trouble upon the entire nation, the sentence pronounced upon him was swift and absolute. Joshua stated, 'Why have you troubled us? Yahweh will trouble you today' (Joshua 7:25). Achan, along with his family, his livestock, his tent, and the stolen items, was taken to a nearby valley. The community stoned them with stones and burned them with fire. Over the site, they raised a great heap of stones as a permanent monument and warning. The location was henceforth named the Valley of Achor, meaning the 'Valley of Trouble'. Only after this purging of evil did Yahweh's burning anger turn away from Israel.

Important Biblical Passages

  • Joshua 6:17–19: Establishes the divine command that Jericho and all its contents were devoted to Yahweh and warns against bringing trouble upon the camp.
  • Joshua 7:1: Introduces Achan's theft and reveals that the Lord's anger burned against the whole congregation of Israel because of it.
  • Joshua 7:10–12: Yahweh explains the cause of Israel's defeat at Ai, declaring that He will not remain with them unless the devoted things are destroyed.
  • Joshua 7:20–21: Records Achan's explicit confession, detailing the dangerous psychological sequence of seeing, coveting, taking, and hiding stolen goods.
  • Joshua 7:25–26: Describes the judgement executed upon Achan in the Valley of Achor and the cessation of divine wrath against Israel.
  • Hosea 2:15: Prophesies a future time of restoration when God will transform the 'Valley of Achor' into a 'door of hope'.

Theological Significance

  • Corporate Solidarity and Guilt: The narrative demonstrates that in God's covenantal framework, individual actions impact the whole community. Achan's individual sin made the entire camp of Israel ceremonially unclean and guilty before God.
  • The Holiness of God: God's presence cannot tolerate unholy compromise. Israel could not claim divine power in battle while harbouring sacrilege and covenant disobedience within their tents.
  • The Anatomy of Sin: Achan's transgression provides a clear biblical model of how sin develops internally through seeing, coveting, acting, and attempting to hide from divine scrutiny.
  • The Futility of Hidden Sin: The story highlights God's omniscience. Human attempts to bury sin away from public view are ultimately futile before the all-seeing God, who will bring every secret thing to light.
  • The Severity of Sacrilege: Taking what belongs exclusively to God (cherem) brings judgement. Holiness requires maintaining clear boundaries between the sacred and the profane.

Legacy and Continuing Significance

The episode of Achan left a profound legacy in biblical history and literature. The name Achor became synonymous with national trouble, distress, and the stern reality of divine judgement. In Joshua 22:20, during a later altar dispute between the eastern and western tribes, the Israelites recalled Achan's sin as a primary historical lesson: 'Didn't Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? That man didn't perish alone in his iniquity.'

Remarkably, the Prophets later used the memory of Achor to communicate God's capacity for redemption and renewal. In Hosea 2:15, God promises that in the messianic era of restoration, He will give Israel back her vineyards and transform 'the Valley of Achor into a door of hope.' What was once a place of divine wrath and judgement would become a threshold of salvation and covenant reconciliation.

In the New Testament, the narrative of Achan finds a striking parallel in the book of Acts with the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11). Just as Israel entered a new epoch of redemptive history at Canaan, the early Church entered a new era at Pentecost. In both instances, individuals secretly held back devoted property, lied to God, and brought threat to the purity of the community, resulting in swift, decisive judgement to preserve the holiness of God's covenant people.

Lessons and Practical Insights

  • Private Sin Has Public Consequences: No sin is purely private. The choices of an individual inevitably affect family, church, and society, often bringing harm to innocent people.
  • Guarding the Eye Gate and Heart: Spiritual victory requires vigilance over what we allow ourselves to view and covet. Left unchecked, visual temptation quickly evolves into sinful action.
  • Prompt Confession Over Concealment: Attempting to hide transgression delays repentance and intensifies judgement. True wisdom lies in immediate confession and turning to God for forgiveness.
  • Prioritising God's Sacred Rights: Believers are called to respect what belongs to God, honouring His commands and refusing to compromise sacred principles for temporal wealth.
  • Community Responsibility for Purity: A healthy spiritual community must care about holiness, recognizing that unaddressed sin within the body undermines spiritual power and effectiveness.