And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son
of
Zerah
Joshua and all Israel are mentioned, to show the perfect
agreement between Joshua and the heads of the people in this
affair of Achan, and in the nature and manner of his punishment:
and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of
gold;
which, though devoted to sacred uses, yet having been converted
to another's use, and made his property, was not to be employed
in the service of the sanctuary, but to be burnt with him:
and his sons and his daughters;
who, according to Ben Gersom, Abarbinel, and Abendana, were not
brought forth to be put to death, only to be spectators of the
sentence of judgment, and the execution of it, that they might
keep themselves from such evil things; though, as Achan may be
supposed to be a man in years, being but the fourth generation
from Judah; his sons and daughters were grown up in all
probability, and might be accessories in this affair; and so, as
some Jewish writers remark, were worthy of death, because they
saw and knew what was done, and were silent and did not declare
it F16; and it seems by what is said, (
Joshua
22:20 ) ; that they died as well as Achan, since it is there
said, "that man perished not alone in his iniquity"; though it
may be interpreted of his substance, his cattle, perishing with
him; and indeed from ( Joshua 7:25 ) ; it
seems as if none were stoned but himself, that is, of his family;
no mention is made of his wife, who, if he had any, as Kimchi
observes, knew nothing of the matter, it being hid from her:
and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep;
in which lay his substance, as that of the eastern people
generally did:
and his tent, and all that he had;
the tent he and his family dwelt in, with all the household goods
in it:
and they brought them unto the valley of Achor;
so called by anticipation here; for it had its name from the
trouble Achan gave to Israel, and with which he was troubled
himself: some render it, "they brought them up" F17; and
as it is more proper to descend into a valley the to go up to it,
it is thought there was a mountain between the camp of Israel and
this valley, so Kimchi and Ben Melech; see ( Hosea 2:15 ) .