Joshua 7:26

26 They raised over him a great heap of stones, to this day; and Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called "The valley of Achor" to this day.

Joshua 7:26 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 7:26

And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this
day
That is, at the place where he suffered, or where they laid his ashes, they heaped up a pile of stones over him, as a monument whereby it might be known hereafter where he was executed and was buried; and which pile continued to the writing of this history: such sort of funeral monuments were usual with the Heathens F19 also as well as with the Jews, see ( Joshua 8:29 ) ( 2 Samuel 18:17 ) ; so the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger; or the effects of it ceased; the outward face of things was altered, the dealings of God in his providence with Israel were changed; though, properly speaking, there is no change in God, nor such affections and passions in him as in man:

wherefore the name of the place was called the valley of Achor unto
this day;
from the trouble Achan met with, and the people of Israel on his account, see ( Joshua 7:24 ) ; and so it was called in the days of Isaiah and Hosea, ( Isaiah 65:10 ) ( Hosea 2:15 ) ; and where it is prophesied of as what should be in time to come: according to Bunting F20, it was twelve miles from Jerusalem; Jerom F21 says it was at the north of Jericho, but Lamy F23, following Bonfrerius, places it to the south; see ( Joshua 15:7 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Vid. Pausan. Arcadica, sive, l. 8. p. 477. & Phocica, sive, l. 10. p. 616, 617.
F20 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 98.
F21 De loc. Heb. fol. 88. B.
F23 Apparat. Geograph. p. 61.

Joshua 7:26 In-Context

24 Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them up to the valley of Achor.
25 Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? Yahweh shall trouble you this day. All Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire, and stoned them with stones.
26 They raised over him a great heap of stones, to this day; and Yahweh turned from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of that place was called "The valley of Achor" to this day.
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