The big picture
Joshua 7 opens in verse 1 with “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 13 with “Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith…”, and closes in verse 26 with “And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from…” Repeated or prominent terms include Israel, LORD, Joshua, accursed, people. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Joshua · King James Version · 26Joshua 7:1-7
1–7: The children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for…
Joshua 7:1–7 opens with “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of…” and reaches “And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD , wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Israel’s defeat at Ai, the search through the tribes, and Achan’s hidden goods exposed, with particular weight carried by people, Joshua, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi…” Naming Israel and Achan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them…” Naming Beth and Jericho keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Joshua 7:1-7
King James Version1But 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.
2And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
3And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
4So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
5And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
6And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
7And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD , wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan!
Joshua 7:8-14
8–14: O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their…
Joshua 7:8–14 opens with “O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!” and reaches “In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Israel’s defeat at Ai, the search through the tribes, and Achan’s hidden goods exposed, with particular weight carried by LORD, accursed, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
Joshua 7:8-14
King James Version8O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
9For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
10And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
11Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
12Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
13Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
14In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
Joshua 7:15-21
15–21: It shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be…
Joshua 7:15–21 opens with “And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and…” and reaches “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Israel’s defeat at Ai, the search through the tribes, and Achan’s hidden goods exposed, with particular weight carried by Israel, taken, Achan.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites…” Naming Zarhites and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Joshua 7:15-21
King James Version15And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD , and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
19And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
20And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
21When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Joshua 7:22-26
22–26: So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it…
Joshua 7:22–26 opens with “So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and…” and reaches “And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Israel’s defeat at Ai, the search through the tribes, and Achan’s hidden goods exposed, with particular weight carried by Joshua, tent, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel…” Naming Israel and Joshua keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Joshua 7:22-26
King James Version22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
23And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD .
24And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
25And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
26And 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Joshua 7:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Joshua 7:13 forms a natural hinge: “Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of…”
The final note
Joshua 7:26 leaves the reader with “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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Israel, LORD, Joshua, accursed, people, thing help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What links this event with creation?
Waters overwhelm the inhabited world, reversing the separations that made life possible.
What details show continuity rather than total abandonment?
The named household and preserved kinds of living creatures survive within the ark.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.