Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Achan, a figure from the Old Testament, is primarily known for his transgression during the Israelite conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership. His account is a cautionary tale about disobedience and its consequences, illustrating the importance of faithfulness to God's commands.
Biblical Account:Achan's account is recorded in the Book of Joshua, chapters 6 and 7. After the miraculous fall of Jericho, God commanded the Israelites to devote the entire city to destruction, sparing only Rahab and her family. The Israelites were instructed not to take any of the accursed things, as these were to be consecrated to the Lord.
However, Achan, from the tribe of Judah, violated this command.
Joshua 7:1 states, "But the Israelites acted unfaithfully regarding the devoted things; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was devoted, and the LORD’s anger burned against the Israelites."
The Sin and Its Consequences:Achan's sin had immediate repercussions for the entire nation. When the Israelites attempted to conquer the city of Ai, they were unexpectedly defeated, resulting in the loss of thirty-six men. This defeat caused great distress among the people and led Joshua to seek the Lord's guidance.
God revealed to Joshua that Israel had sinned by taking some of the devoted things, and as a result, they could not stand against their enemies.
Joshua 7:11 records God's words: "Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them. They have taken some of what was devoted; they have stolen, lied, and put these things with their own possessions."
The Discovery and Punishment:To identify the transgressor, Joshua followed God's instructions to bring the tribes, clans, and families before Him. The lot fell on Achan, who confessed his sin.
Joshua 7:20-21 recounts Achan's confession: "It is true; I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
As a result of his actions, Achan, along with his family and possessions, was taken to the Valley of Achor. There, he was stoned to death, and his belongings were burned, as described in
Joshua 7:25 : "And Joshua said, 'Why have you brought this trouble upon us? The LORD will bring trouble upon you this day.' Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them."
Theological Significance:Achan's account underscores the seriousness of sin and the communal nature of God's covenant with Israel. His actions not only brought personal judgment but also affected the entire community, highlighting the interconnectedness of the people of God. The narrative serves as a reminder of the need for obedience and the severe consequences of violating God's commands.
Legacy:The Valley of Achor, where Achan was punished, became a symbol of trouble and judgment. However, in later prophetic literature, it is also mentioned as a place of hope and restoration (
Hosea 2:15), indicating God's redemptive purposes even in the midst of judgment. Achan's account remains a powerful testament to the holiness of God and the call for His people to live in faithful obedience.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Achanor Achar, he that troubleth
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Achan(troubler), an Israelite of the tribe of Judah, who, when Jericho and all that it contained were accursed and devoted to destruction, secreted a portion of the spoil in his tent. For this sin he was stoned to death with his whole family by the people, in a valley situated between Ai and Jericho, and their remains, together with his property, were burnt. (Joshua 7:19-26) From this event the valley received the name of Achor (i.e.trouble). [ACHOR, VALLEY OF] (B.C. 1450.)
ATS Bible Dictionary
AchanThe son of Carmi, who disobeyed the strict charge of the Lord, and purloined some of the spoils of Jericho which were doomed to destruction. This brought a curse and defeat upon the people. He was discovered by lot, and stoned with all his family in the valley of Achor, north of Jericho,Joshua 6:18; 7:1-26. He is called Achar in1 Chronicles 2:7.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Called also Achar, i.e., one who troubles (
1 Chronicles 2:7), in commemoration of his crime, which brought upon him an awful destruction (
Joshua 7:1). On the occasion of the fall of Jericho, he seized, contrary to the divine command, an ingot of gold, a quantity of silver, and a costly Babylonish garment, which he hid in his tent. Joshua was convinced that the defeat which the Israelites afterwards sustained before Ai was a proof of the divine displeasure on account of some crime, and he at once adopted means by the use of the lot for discovering the criminal. It was then found that Achan was guilty, and he was stoned to death in the valley of Achor. He and all that belonged to him were then consumed by fire, and a heap of stones was raised over the ashes.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ACHANa'-kan (`akhan (in1 Chronicles 2:7 Achar, `akhar, "troubler"): The descendant of Zerah the son of Judah who was put to death, in Joshua's time, for stealing some of the "devoted" spoil of the city of Jericho (Joshua 7). The stem `akhan is not used in Hebrew except in this name. The stem `akhar has sufficient use to define it. It denotes trouble of the most serious kind-Jacob's trouble when his sons had brought him into blood feud with his Canaanite neighbors, or Jephthah's trouble when his vow required him to sacrifice his daughter (Genesis 34:30Judges 11:35). InProverbs 11:17, 29;Proverbs 15:6, 27) the word is used with intensity to describe the results of cruelty, disloyalty, greed, wickedness. The record especially speaks of Achan's conduct as the troubling of Israel (1 Chronicles 2:7Joshua 6:18;Joshua 7:24). In an outburst of temper Jonathan speaks of Saul as having troubled the land (1 Samuel 14:29). Elijah and Ahab accuse each the other of being the troubler of Israel (1 Kings 18:17, 18). The stem also appears in the two proper names ACHOR and OCHRAN (which see).
The crime of Achan was a serious one. Quite apart from all questions of supposable superstition, or even religion, the cherem concerning Jericho had been proclaimed, and to disobey the proclamation was disobedience to military orders in an army that was facing the enemy. It is commonly held that Achan's family were put to death with him, though they were innocent; but the record is not explicit on these points. One whose habits of thought lead him to expect features of primitive savagery in such a case as this will be sure to find what he expects; a person of different habits will not be sure that the record says that any greater cruelty was practiced on the family of Achan than that of compelling them to be present at the execution. Those who hold that the Deuteronomic legislation comes in any sense from Moses should not be in haste to think that its precepts were violated by Joshua in the case of Achan (seeDeuteronomy 24:16). The record says that the execution took place in the arable valley of Achor, up from the Jordan valley. SeeACHOR.
Willis J. Beecher
Strong's Hebrew
5912. Akan -- an Israelite name... 5911, 5912. Akan. 5913 . an Israelite name. Transliteration: Akan Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-kawn') Short Definition:
Achan.
... name NASB Word Usage
Achan (6).
Achan...Library
Achan's Sin.
...ACHAN'S SIN.... One of the Israelites, namedAchan, saw among the spoil of Jericho,
a handsome garment, some silver, and a bar of gold, and coveted them....
Achan's Sin, Israel's Defeat
... THE BOOK OF JOSHUAACHAN'S SIN, ISRAEL'S DEFEAT. 'But... man. That Is a strange
'for' in verse 1--- the people did it; 'for'Achan did it....
The Valley of Achor
... Their defeat was caused by the covetousness ofAchan, who for the sake of some
miserable spoil which he found in a tent, broke God's laws, and drew down shame...
Little Sins
... Satan always begins with us as he did withAchan. He showedAchan, first
of all, a goodly Babylonish garment, and a wedge of gold....
Restraining Prayer: is it Sin?
... In the story ofAchan we have one of the strongest proofs in Scripture that it is
sin that robs God's people of His blessing, and that God will not tolerate it...
Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
... The Doubtful Penitent.ACHAN""I have sinned.""Joshua 7:20. IV.... and the 20th
verse:""AndAchan answered Joshua, indeed I have sinned."....
Joshua
... This initial success was followed by a sharp and unexpected disaster at Ai, for
whichAchan, by his violation of the law of the ban, was held guilty and...
The First Season
... When Joshua called all the tribes of Israel to cast lots for the discovery ofAchan,
doubtlessAchan feared; when the tribe of Judah was taken, his fear...
The Difference of Some Customs of the Galileans from those of...
... therefore, when they cursed, they cursed to none but to God." And the Gemara of
Jerusalem thus; "Because they were fastened to the curse ofAchan, it is said...
Tenth Commandment
... "AndAchan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed... The covetous eye was what ledAchan
up to the wicked deed that brought sorrow and defeat upon the camp of Israel....
Thesaurus
Achan (7 Occurrences)... It was then found that
Achan was guilty, and he was stoned to death in the
valley of Achor.
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ACHAN.
...Carmi (8 Occurrences)
... qv). (3.) The son of Zimri, and the father ofAchan (Joshua 7:1), "the troubler
of Israel.". Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CARMI....
Zabdi (17 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Gift of Jehovah. (1.) An ancestor ofAchan (Joshua
7:1, 17, 18). He is probably the "Zimri" of 1 Chronicles 2:6....
Achor (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Trouble, a valley near Jericho, so called in consequence
of the trouble which the sin ofAchan caused Israel (Joshua 7:24, 26)....
Zerah (22 Occurrences)
... 7:1, 18, 24; Joshua 22:20 1 Chronicles 2:4, 6; 1 Chronicles 9:6; Nehemiah 11:24
Matthew 1:3, younger twin-son of Judah and Tamar, and an ancestor ofAchan....
Mantle (35 Occurrences)
... Zechariah 13:4, RV). It is the word denoting the "goodly Babylonish garment"
whichAchan coveted (Joshua 7:21). (2.) Hebrews me'il...
Unfaithfully (19 Occurrences)
... Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things;
forAchan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe...
Wedge (3 Occurrences)
... WEDGE, OF GOLD. wej, (lashon zahabh, literally, "tongue of gold"): A piece of gold
in the form of a wedge found byAchan in the sack of Jericho....
Ban (12 Occurrences)
... Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things;
forAchan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe...
Covetousness (22 Occurrences)
... It was one of the first sins that broke out after Israel had entered into the promised
land (Achan, Jos 7); and also in the early Christian church immediately...
Resources
Who was Achan in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhy did God judge the sin of Achan so severely? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the Valley of Achor in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
