1Zhřešili pak synové Izraelští přestoupením při věcech proklatých; nebo Achan, syn Charmi, syna Zabdi, syna Záre, z pokolení Juda, vzal něco z věcí proklatých. Pročež rozpálila se prchlivost Hospodinova na syny Izraelské. 2Nebo když poslal Jozue muže některé od Jericha do Hai, kteréž bylo blízko Betaven, k východní straně Bethel, a mluvil k nim, řka: Vstupte a shlédněte zemi, vstoupili tedy muži ti, a shlédli Hai. 3Kteřížto navrátivše se k Jozue, řekli jemu: Nechť nevstupuje všecken lid tento, okolo dvou tisíc mužů neb okolo tří tisíců mužů nechť vstoupí, a dobudouť Hai; neobtěžuj všeho lidu, vysílaje jej tam, nebo málo jest oněchno. 4Tedy vytáhlo jich z lidu tam okolo tří tisíc mužů, a utekli před muži města Hai. 5I zabili z nich obyvatelé Hai okolo třidcíti a šesti mužů, a honili je od brány až k Sabarim, a porazili je, když s vrchu utíkali. I rozpustilo se srdce lidu, a bylo jako voda. 6Tedy Jozue roztrhl roucho své, a padl tváří svou na zem před truhlou Hospodinovou, a ležel až do večera, ano i starší Izraelští, a sypali prach na hlavy své. 7I řekl Jozue: Ach, Panovníče Hospodine, proč jsi kdy převedl lid tento přes Jordán, abys nás vydal v ruku Amorejského, tak aby nás zahubil? Ó kdybychom byli raději zůstali za Jordánem. 8Ó Pane, což mám říci, když již lid Izraelský utíká před nepřátely svými? 9Nebo uslyšíce Kananejští a všickni obyvatelé země, obklíčí nás vůkol, a vyhladí jméno naše z země. I což to učiníš jménu svému velikému? 10I řekl Hospodin k Jozue: Vstaň. Proč jsi padl na tvář svou? 11Zhřešil Izrael, tak že smlouvu mou přestoupili, kterouž jsem jim přikázal; nebo jsou i vzali z věcí proklatých, k tomu i ukradli, také i sklamali, nad to i odložili mezi nádobí svá. 12Protož nebudou moci synové Izraelští ostáti před nepřátely svými, utíkati budou před nepřátely svými, nebo poškvrnili se věcí proklatou. Nebuduť více s vámi, leč vyhladíte prokletí to z prostředku svého. 13Vstaň, posvěť lidu a rci: Posvěťte se k zítřku; nebo takto praví Hospodin Bůh Izraelský: Věc proklatá jest u prostřed tebe, Izraeli, nebudeš moci ostáti před nepřátely svými, dokudž neodejmeš prokletí toho z prostředku svého. 14Protož přistupovati budete ráno po pokoleních svých, a pokolení, kteréž ukáže Hospodin, přistupovati bude po rodech, takž rod, kterýž ukáže Hospodin, přistupovati bude po domích, a dům, kterýž ukáže Hospodin, přistupovati bude po osobách. 15Kdož pak postižen bude vinný věcí proklatou, ohněm spálen bude, on i všecko, což jeho jest, proto že přestoupil smlouvu Hospodinovu, a že učinil nešlechetnost v Izraeli. 16Vstav tedy Jozue ráno, kázal přistupovati Izraelovi po pokoleních jejich. I postiženo jest pokolení Judovo. 17Tedy když kázal přistupovati čeledem Juda, postižena jest čeled Záre. Potom kázal přistupovati čeledi Záre po osobách, a postižen jest Zabdi. 18I kázal přistupovati domu jeho po osobách, i postižen jest Achan, syn Charmi, syna Zabdi, syna Záre z pokolení Judova. 19I řekl Jozue Achanovi: Synu můj, dej, prosím, chválu Hospodinu Bohu Izraelskému, a vyznej se jemu, a oznam mi aspoň již, co jsi učinil, netaj již toho přede mnou. 20Tedy odpovídaje Achan k Jozue, řekl: Pravdať jest, já jsem zhřešil proti Hospodinu Bohu Izraelskému, tak že to a toto jsem učinil. 21Viděl jsem mezi loupeží plášť jeden Babylonský pěkný, a dvě stě lotů stříbra, a prut zlatý jeden, padesáte lotů ztíží, čehož požádav, vzal jsem to, a aj, jsou ty věci skryté v zemi prostřed stanu mého, a stříbro pod tím. 22Tedy poslal Jozue posly, kteříž běželi do stanu, a aj, bylo to skryto v stanu jeho, a stříbro pod tím. 23A vzavše to z stanu, přinesli k Jozue a ke všechněm synům Izraelským, a položili ty věci před Hospodinem. 24Vzav tedy Jozue a všecken Izrael s ním Achana, syna Záre, a stříbro i plášť, i prut zlatý, i syny jeho, i dcery jeho, voly a osly, dobytek i stan jeho i všecko, což měl, vyvedli je do údolí Achor. 25Kdež řekl Jozue: Proč jsi zkormoutil nás? Zkormutiž tebe Hospodin v tento den. I uházel jej všecken lid kamením, a spálili je ohněm, ukamenovavše je kamením. 26Potom nametali naň hromadu kamení velikou, kteráž trvá až do tohoto dne; a tak odvrácen jest Hospodin od hněvu prchlivosti své. Protož nazváno jest jméno místa toho údolí Achor, až do dnešního dne.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ACHAN'S TRESPASS. (
Josh 7:1)
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") (
1Chr 2:7).
Zabdi--or Zimri (
1Chr 2:6).
Zerah--or Zarah, son of Judah and Tamar (
Gen 38:30). His genealogy is given probably to show that from a parentage so infamous the descendants would not be carefully trained in the fear of God.
2 THE ISRAELITES SMITTEN AT AI. (Jos. 7:2-26)
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai--After the sacking of Jericho, the next step was to penetrate into the hills above. Accordingly, spies went up the mountain pass to view the country. The precise site of Ai, or Hai, is indicated with sufficient clearness (
Gen 12:8;
Gen 13:3) and has been recently discovered in an isolated tell, called by the natives Tell-el-Hajar, "the mount of stones," at two miles', or thirty-five minutes' distance, east southeast from Beth-el [VAN DE VELDE].
Beth-aven--("house of vanity")--a name afterwards given derisively (
Hos 4:15;
Hos 5:8;
Hos 10:5), on account of its idolatries, to Beth-el, "house of God," but here referred to another place, about six miles east of Beth-el and three north of Ai.
3 Let not all the people go up, . . . for they are but few--As the population of Ai amounted to twelve thousand (
Josh 8:25), it was a considerable town; though in the hasty and distant reconnoitre made by the spies, it probably appeared small in comparison to Jericho; and this may have been the reason for their proposing so small a detachment to capture it.
4 they fled before the men of Ai--An unexpected resistance, and the loss of thirty-six of their number diffused a panic, which ended in an ignominious rout.
5 chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim--that is, unto the "breakings" or "fissures" at the opening of the passes.
and smote them in the going down--that is, the declivity or slope of the deep, rugged, adjoining wady.
wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water--It is evident that the troops engaged were a tumultuary, undisciplined band, no better skilled in military affairs than the Bedouin Arabs, who become disheartened and flee on the loss of ten or fifteen men. But the consternation of the Israelites arose from another cause--the evident displeasure of God, who withheld that aid on which they had confidently reckoned.
6 Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth . . . before the ark . . . he and the elders--It is evident, from those tokens of humiliation and sorrow, that a solemn fast was observed on this occasion. The language of Joshua's prayer is thought by many to savor of human infirmity and to be wanting in that reverence and submission he owed to God. But, although apparently breathing a spirit of bold remonstrance and complaint, it was in reality the effusion of a deeply humbled and afflicted mind, expressing his belief that God could not, after having so miraculously brought His people over Jordan into the promised land, intend to destroy them, to expose them to the insults of their triumphant enemies, and bring reproach upon His own name for inconstancy or unkindness to His people, or inability to resist their enemies. Unable to understand the cause of the present calamity, he owned the hand of God.
10 the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up--The answer of the divine oracle was to this effect: the crisis is owing not to unfaithfulness in Me, but sin in the people. The conditions of the covenant have been violated by the reservation of spoil from the doomed city; wickedness, emphatically called folly, has been committed in Israel (
Ps 14:1), and dissimulation, with other aggravations of the crime, continues to be practised. The people are liable to destruction equally with the accursed nations of Canaan (
Deut 7:26). Means must, without delay, be taken to discover and punish the perpetrator of this trespass that Israel may be released from the ban, and things be restored to their former state of prosperity.
16 So Joshua rose up early, and brought Israel by their tribes--that is, before the tabernacle. The lot being appealed to (
Pro 16:33), he proceeded in the inquiry from heads of tribes to heads of families, and from heads of households in succession to one family, and to particular persons in that family, until the criminal was found to be Achan, who, on Joshua's admonition, confessed the fact of having secreted for his own use, in the floor of his tent, spoil both in garments and money [
Josh 7:19-
Josh 7:21]. How dreadful must have been his feelings when he saw the slow but certain process of discovery! (
Num 32:23).
19 Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give . . . glory to God--a form of adjuration to tell the truth.
21 a goodly Babylonish garment--literally, "a mantle of Shinar." The plain of Shinar was in early times celebrated for its gorgeous robes, which were of brilliant and various colors, generally arranged in figured patterns, probably resembling those of modern Turkish carpets, and the colors were either interwoven in the loom or embroidered with the needle.
two hundred shekels of silver--equivalent to Ł22 10s. sterling, according to the old Mosaic shekel, or the half of that sum, reckoning by the common shekel.
a wedge of gold--literally, an ingot or bar in the shape of a tongue.
22 Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent--from impatient eagerness not only to test the truth of the story, but to clear Israel from the imputation of guilt. Having discovered the stolen articles, they laid them out before the Lord, "as a token of their belonging to Him" on account of the ban.
24 Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan--He with his children and all his property, cattle as well as movables, were brought into one of the long broad ravines that open into the Ghor, and after being stoned to death (
Num 15:30-
Num 15:35), his corpse, with all belonging to him, was consumed to ashes by fire. "All Israel" was present, not only as spectators, but active agents, as many as possible, in inflicting the punishment--thus testifying their abhorrence of the sacrilege, and their intense solicitude to regain the divine favor. As the divine law expressly forbade the children to be put to death for their father's sins (
Deut 24:16), the conveyance of Achan's "sons and daughters" to the place of execution might be only as spectators, that they might take warning by the parental fate; or, if they shared his punishment (
Josh 22:20), they had probably been accomplices in his crime, and, indeed, he could scarcely have dug a hole within his tent without his family being aware of it.
26 they raised over him a great heap of stones--It is customary to raise cairns over the graves of criminals or infamous persons in the East still.
the name of that place was 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 noted by the sacred writers of a later age (
Isa 65:10;
Hos 2:15).