Achaicus (Hastings' Dictionary)

The name is Roman (see CouiNTH), and appears to have been perpetuated in the family of L. Mummius, who earned it by his conquest of Corinth and Achaia, B.C. 146. The A. of 1 Co 16" may have been a freedman or client of tlie Mummii. In company with Stephanas and Fortunatus he had appeared at Ephesus, and had ' refreshed the spirit of St. Paul, and, he adds, of the Corinthians also ; they thus ' supplied ' something which ' was lacking ' on the part of the Corinthians.

This suggests that they were distinct from (1) the bearers of the Cor. letter (1 Co 7') to St. Paul J and from (2) ol X\d>)j (1 Co 1"), who had more recently brought back to Ephesus the disquieting news, under the fresh impression of whi(,-h 1 Co was written. (See Stkphanas, FOUTUNATUS, CULOE ; COIUNTHIANS, FlIlST EPIS- TLK TO). A. Robertson. ACHAN (i;v. in I Ch Sf tjV, Sept. 'hxdp, prob. the correct form of the name, cf. ' Valley of Ai-hor').

— A man of the tribe of Judah, son of Carmi, also calh-d (Jos 22'") son of Zerah, who was his great-grandfather. After the fall of Jericho, ho coveted and took a portion of the spoil, which had been devoted to utter destruction. This sin in the devoted thing, involving the breach of a vow made by the nation as one Ixjdy, brought wratli upon all Israel, and their first attack ujion Ai was repulsed with the loss of thirty-six moii.

34 ACHAR ACHOR Investigation was made by lot to discover who liad sinned, and Actian was singled out. Ue made full confession of his etiilt, and the stolen treasure was found hid under liis tent. Instant execution fol- lowed. Not only Achan himself, but his tent, his goods, his spoil, his cattle, and his children, were taken to the valley, afterwards called the valley of Achor.

There they stoned him, and all that belonged to him, afterwards consuming the whole with tire, and raising over the ashes a great heap of stones. This act of vengeance is represented as being in some measure an expiation of the crime. ' The Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger.' The supposition that his family were accessories to his crime finds no support in the narrative.

The language of Jos 7^ ('all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire') has been regarded as implying that Achan alone suffered the death penalty, the plural number referring to the oxen, asses, and sheep, and that his sons and daughters were brought to the valley merely as spectators, that they might have a terrible warning.

It is doubt- ful if the text will bear this construction, and the sweeping nature of the act of judgment recorded is rather to be explained by reference to the stage of moral development which Israel had reached at the time (Jos V'*). R. M. Boyd.