The Meaning of Joshua 7:1 Explained

Joshua 7:1

KJV: But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

YLT: And the sons of Israel commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and Achan, son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, taketh of the devoted thing, and the anger of Jehovah burneth against the sons of Israel.

Darby: But the children of Israel committed unfaithfulness in that which had been brought under the curse: Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.

ASV: But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing: and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But the children  of Israel  committed  a trespass  in the accursed thing:  for Achan,  the son  of Carmi,  the son  of Zabdi,  the son  of Zerah,  of the tribe  of Judah,  took  of the accursed thing:  and the anger  of the LORD  was kindled  against the children  of Israel. 

What does Joshua 7:1 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Even though Achan was the individual who sinned, and even though his sin was private, God regarded what he did as the action of the whole nation. This was so because he was a member of the community of Israel and his actions affected the rest of the Israelites. The Hebrew word translated "unfaithfully" (maal) means "treacherously" or "secretly."
Achan had not just taken some things that did not belong to him. This would have been bad in itself. He stole what was dedicated to God, and he robbed the whole nation of its innocence before God. The Lord"s blazing anger against Israel fell on Achan and literally consumed him ( Joshua 7:25; cf. Hebrews 12:29).

Context Summary

Joshua 7:1-15 - The First Defeat And Its Cause
Israel was taught that victory is possible only where there are exact obedience and sincere consecration. We cannot cope with our foes, unless we live in unclouded fellowship with God. See 2 Chronicles 15:2. Our spiritual allies in the heavenly places cannot co-operate while evil is harbored. Canaan was a gift to faith, and a strong spiritual life was peremptory. The gold and silver of Jericho were consecrated to God, so that Achan committed sacrilege as well as theft.
Ai (see Genesis 12:8; Genesis 13:3) lay two miles north of Jericho, and was a comparatively small place; but without God the smallest opposition is too great for us. Joshua seemed more concerned for the disgrace brought on the divine name than for the disaster to his men. Let us always look at our failures from God's side! We must not lie too long in the dust of despair, but arise to detect and put away the hidden cause of our defeat, Hosea 5:15; Hosea 6:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 7

1  The Israelites are smitten at Ai
6  Joshua's complaint
10  God instructs him what to do
16  Achan is taken by the lot
19  His confession
24  He and all he had are destroyed in the valley of Achor

What do the individual words in Joshua 7:1 mean?

But committed the sons of Israel a trespass regarding the accursed things for took Achan son of Carmi the son of Zabdi of Zerah of the tribe of Judah of the accursed things so burned the anger of Yahweh against the sons of Israel
וַיִּמְעֲל֧וּ בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל מַ֖עַל בַּחֵ֑רֶם וַיִּקַּ֡ח עָכָ֣ן בֶּן־ כַּרְמִי֩ בֶן־ זַבְדִּ֨י זֶ֜רַח לְמַטֵּ֤ה יְהוּדָה֙ מִן־ הַחֵ֔רֶם וַיִּֽחַר־ אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיִּמְעֲל֧וּ  But  committed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָעַל  
Sense: to act unfaithfully, act treacherously, transgress, commit a trespass.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מַ֖עַל  a  trespass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעַל  
Sense: unfaithful or treacherous act, trespass.
בַּחֵ֑רֶם  regarding  the  accursed  things 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵרֶם 
Sense: a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion.
וַיִּקַּ֡ח  for  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
עָכָ֣ן  Achan 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָכָן  
Sense: a Judaite who violated God’s specific ban on taking any loot from the captured city of Jericho and was stoned to death along with his family for this violation.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
כַּרְמִי֩  of  Carmi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּרְמִי  
Sense: the 4th son of Reuben and progenitor of the Carmites.
בֶן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
זַבְדִּ֨י  of  Zabdi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זַבְדִּי  
Sense: son of Zerah and grandson of Judah; grandfather of Achan.
זֶ֜רַח  of  Zerah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זֶרַח  
Sense: a son of Reuel and grandson of Esau, one of the dukes of the Edomites.
לְמַטֵּ֤ה  of  the  tribe 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
יְהוּדָה֙  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
הַחֵ֔רֶם  the  accursed  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵרֶם 
Sense: a thing devoted, thing dedicated, ban, devotion.
וַיִּֽחַר־  so  burned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַ֥ף  the  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בִּבְנֵ֥י  against  the  sons 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.