Joshua 7:11

11 The people has sinned, and transgressed the covenant which I made with them; they have stolen from the cursed thing, and put it into their store.

Joshua 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 7:11

Israel hath sinned
For though one only had committed the sin, others might have known of it, and connived at it; however, there was sin committed among them, and it must be discovered, the guilt charged, and punishment inflicted:

and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them;
not the law given on Mount Sinai, called the covenant, though in general that was now broken, inasmuch as they then promised to hear and obey all that the Lord should say unto them, ( Exodus 24:7 ) ; but it particularly means the command given, ( Joshua 6:18 ) ; that they should take nothing of that which was devoted the Lord, and thereby make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it; and which shows that that was not a command given by Joshua of himself, but what he had from the Lord:

for they have even taken of the accursed thing;
somewhat of that which was devoted to sacred uses:

and have also stolen;
taken it away, not openly, but by stealth, as being conscious they ought not to have done what they did, and so sinned both against God and their own consciences:

and dissembled also;
or "lied" F21; pretended they had not taken any of the accursed thing when they had; and it is probable that the people in general, each of the tribes, families, and houses, were examined by proper officers, whether they had taken any of the spoil, or not, to themselves, and they all denied they had, and he that had taken it among the rest; and perhaps was particularly asked the question, which he answered in the negative:

and they have put [it] even amongst their own stuff;
their household stuff, mixed them with their own goods that they might not be known; or put them "in their own vessels" F23, for their own use and service.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (wvxk) "mentiti sunt", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F23 (Mhylkb) "in vasis suis", Montanus.

Joshua 7:11 In-Context

9 And when the Chananite and all the inhabitants of the land hear it, they shall compass us round and destroy us from off the land: and what wilt thou do thy great name?
10 And the Lord said to Joshua, Rise up; why hast thou fallen upon thy face?
11 The people has sinned, and transgressed the covenant which I made with them; they have stolen from the cursed thing, and put it into their store.
12 And the children of Israel will not be able to stand before their enemies; they will turn their back before their enemies, for they have become an accursed thing: I will not any longer be with you, unless ye remove the cursed thing from yourselves.
13 Rise, sanctify the people and tell them to sanctify themselves for the morrow: thus says the Lord God of Israel, The accursed thing is among you; ye shall not be able to stand before your enemies, until ye shall have removed the cursed thing from among you.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.