Joshua 7:26

26 And they gathered upon him a great heap of stones, the which abide there still into this day. And the strong vengeance of the Lord was turned away from Israel; and the name of that place is called the valley of Achor unto 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 Then Joshua took Achan, the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the golden rule, and his sons, and daughters, his oxen, asses, and sheep, and the tabernacle itself, and all the purtenance of his household; and all Israel with Joshua; and they led them to the valley of Achor; (Then Joshua took Achan, the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the mantle, and the gold bar, and his sons, and daughters, and his oxen, and donkeys, and sheep, and the tent itself, and all the purtenance of his household; and all Israel went with Joshua; and they led them to the valley of Achor;)
25 where Joshua said, For thou hast troubled us, the Lord shall full out trouble thee in this day. And all Israel stoned him; and all things that were his, were wasted by fire. (where Joshua said, For thou hast brought forth trouble upon us, the Lord shall now bring trouble upon thee. And then all Israel stoned him; and all his things were destroyed by fire.)
26 And they gathered upon him a great heap of stones, the which abide there still into this day. And the strong vengeance of the Lord was turned away from Israel; and the name of that place is called the valley of Achor unto this day.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.