Achan
Achan took devoted things, leading to Israel's defeat at Ai.
Biography
Achan son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah, became infamous for an act of covetous disobedience that brought disaster upon all Israel. When the Israelite army captured Jericho under Joshua's command, God had declared all its spoils "devoted to destruction", sacred property belonging to the Lord and not to be taken (Joshua 6:17-19). Achan secretly took a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, burying them under his tent floor (Joshua 7:21). This violation resulted in Israel's shocking defeat at the smaller city of Ai. Through a process of sacred lot-casting, Achan was identified, and upon his confession, he and his household were stoned and burned in the Valley of Achor, a name meaning "trouble" (Joshua 7:24-26).
Significance
Achan's story confronts readers with the biblical principle that sin within the covenant community affects the entire body, a concept Paul later articulates when he warns that "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6). His transgression demonstrates that God's holiness is non-negotiable even in moments of military triumph. Yet the Valley of Achor is later transformed in prophetic hope: Hosea 2:15 promises that God will make it "a door of hope," signaling that even the site of Israel's most notorious individual sin becomes a marker of divine restoration and grace in the eschatological future.
Verse Appearances (7)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]