Achan and the Wedge of Gold

The words

1. Achan

   Achan confesses taking devoted goods and hiding them in the earth inside his tent; Joshua later describes his death by stoning.

   Joshua 7:1 (opens a new tab) · Joshua 7:20–21 (opens a new tab) · Joshua 7:25 (opens a new tab)

2. Achor

   Valley of Disaster in the NET Bible.

   Achan is taken to the valley of Achor and stoned; Joshua says a great heap of stones is raised over him.

   Joshua 7:24–26 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Joshua 7:26 (opens a new tab)

3. Anger

   After Achan takes the accursed goods, Joshua says the LORD’s anger burns against Israel; the chapter ends with that anger turning away.

   Joshua 7:1 (opens a new tab) · Joshua 7:26 (opens a new tab)

4. Babylonish

   From Babylon, in the NET Bible’s rendering.

   The KJV calls the stolen garment Babylonish, identifying it among the items Achan says he coveted, took and hid.

   Did you know?

   The Hebrew place-name is Shinar; the NET note explains that some translations use the more familiar name Babylon.

   Joshua 7:20–21 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Joshua 7:21 (opens a new tab)

5. Burned

   Achan, his children and possessions are brought to Achor; the account then says Israel “burned them with fire” after stoning.

   Joshua 7:24–25 (opens a new tab)

6. Family

   A clan, in the NET Bible’s rendering.

   The inquiry narrows from tribe to family, household and individual until Achan is identified; family names a kin group in that process.

   Joshua 7:14; Joshua 7:16–18 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Joshua 7:14 (opens a new tab)

7. Garment

   The garment catches Achan’s eye among the spoils; he tells Joshua he coveted it, took it and hid it in his tent.

   Joshua 7:20–21 (opens a new tab)

8. Gold

   Achan’s gold is part of the goods he hid; Joshua had directed that Jericho’s gold go into the LORD’s treasury.

   Joshua 7:21 (opens a new tab) · Joshua 6:19 (opens a new tab)

9. Shebarim

   Shebarim marks the reach of Ai’s pursuit of Israel; Joshua reports about thirty-six men killed as the force retreats.

   Joshua 7:4–5 (opens a new tab)

10. Shekels

    A weight unit of about 0.4 ounces (11 grams).

    Achan describes the silver as two hundred shekels and the gold as fifty, using the same weight unit for both metals.

    Joshua 7:21 (opens a new tab) · ESV Bible: Joshua 7:21 (opens a new tab)

11. Stoned

    The account first says Israel “stoned him with stones,” referring to Achan, then uses “them” when describing stoning and burning.

    Joshua 7:24–25 (opens a new tab)

12. Trouble

    Joshua asks, “Why hast thou troubled us?” before Achan is stoned; the LORD’s earlier speech links Israel’s defeat with taking devoted goods.

    Joshua 7:10–12 (opens a new tab) · Joshua 7:25 (opens a new tab)

13. Wedge

    A bar of gold, in the NET Bible’s rendering.

    The KJV calls the stolen gold a wedge; Achan includes it in the goods he confesses hiding in the earth inside his tent.

    Joshua 7:20–21 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Joshua 7:21 (opens a new tab)

14. Zabdi

    Zabdi is Achan’s grandfather in the genealogy; his household is selected before the inquiry narrows to Achan.

    Joshua 7:17–18 (opens a new tab)

15. Zerah

    Zerah’s clan is called the Zarhites in the inquiry; Joshua traces Achan’s ancestry through Carmi and Zabdi to Zerah.

    Did you know?

    Numbers also names a Zarhite clan among Judah’s families, the same clan-name used in the inquiry about Achan.

    Joshua 7:17–18 (opens a new tab) · Numbers 26:20 (opens a new tab)