Joshua 7:10-15

10 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?

11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.

12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

14 “ ‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the LORD chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the LORD chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the LORD chooses shall come forward man by man.

15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ”

Joshua 7:10-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 7

For the trespass of Achan the children of Israel were smitten and put to flight by the men of Ai, Jos 7:1-5; which gave him and the elders of the people great concern, both for Israel and for the name of the Lord, which was expressed by Joshua in prayer to God, Jos 7:6-9; when the Lord informed him of the reason of it, and gave him directions for finding out the guilty person, and for the punishment of him, Jos 7:10-15; which directions Joshua followed, and the person was found out, who being urged to a confession made one, Jos 7:16-21; upon which he and all he had, with the things he had taken, were burnt with fire, Jos 7:22-26.

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 9:27; Deuteronomy 29:27; Joshua 24:16-27; 2 Kings 17:7; Hosea 10:9
• 2. ver 15; Joshua 6:17-19; Joshua 23:16; Judges 2:20; 1 Samuel 15:24; Psalms 78:10
• 3. Acts 5:1-2
• 4. ver 21
• 5. Leviticus 26:37; Numbers 14:45; Judges 2:14
• 6. Psalms 18:40; Psalms 21:12
• 7. S Leviticus 26:17
• 8. Joshua 6:18
• 9. Psalms 44:9; Psalms 60:10
• 10. S Leviticus 11:44; Joshua 3:5; Joshua 6:18
• 11. 1 Samuel 10:19
• 12. Proverbs 16:33
• 13. Joshua 6:18
• 14. Deuteronomy 7:25; 2 Kings 25:9; 1 Chronicles 14:12; Isaiah 37:19; Jeremiah 43:12; Ezekiel 30:16
• 15. 1 Samuel 14:39
• 16. S ver 11
• 17. Genesis 34:7