Joshua 22:20

20 Did not Achan son of Zerah commit treachery with devoted things, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? {And he alone} did not perish because of his iniquity.'"

Joshua 22:20 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 22:20

Did not Achan the son of Zerah
One that descended from Zerah the son of Judah, ( Joshua 7:18 ) ;

commit a trespass in the accursed thing;
in taking what was devoted to sacred uses:

and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel?
and which was what was feared now; and this instance is brought to show that such fears were not groundless:

and that man perished not alone in his iniquity:
which seems to confirm the notion of those who think that his children suffered with him; though it may be observed, that it was through his sin that thirty six men were slain by the men of Ai, ( Joshua 7:5 ) .

Joshua 22:20 In-Context

18 that you must turn today from following Yahweh? [If] you rebel today against Yahweh, tomorrow he will be angry with all of the congregation of Israel;

19 if, however, the land of your property [is] unclean, cross [over] to the land of Yahweh's property, where Yahweh's tabernacle resides, and take possession among us. But you must not rebel against Yahweh or against us by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of Yahweh our God.

20 Did not Achan son of Zerah commit treachery with devoted things, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? {And he alone} did not perish because of his iniquity.'"

21 And the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh spoke with the heads of the clans of Israel,

22 "Yahweh, God of gods! Yahweh, God of gods knows. And let Israel itself know, if [it was] in rebellion or treachery against Yahweh, do not spare us this day

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "consecrated possession"
• [b]. Literally "And he [is] one man that"