Joshua 7:18

Turning northward, and looking that way from the west to the east: and went forth to Enshemesh; or the fountain of the sun, see Joshua 15:7; and went forth toward Geliloth; called Gilgal, Joshua 15:7; which [is] over against the going up to Adummim; a place between Jerusalem and Jericho, see Joshua 15:7; and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben; see Joshua 15:6. Joshua 18:18 Ver. 18. And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward,.... The same with Betharabah, Joshua 15:6; and so it is called here in the Greek version: and went down unto Arabah; the same as before, and included it, for it is mentioned among the cities of this tribe, Joshua 18:22. Joshua 18:19 Ver. 19. And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward,.... Inclining somewhat toward the north, but not leaving the city to the north, for it is included in the lot of Benjamin, Joshua 18:21; of which place see Joshua 15:6; and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea; here ended the southern border of Benjamin, even at the bay or creek of the salt sea, which looked northward, as the southern border of Judah began at that bay of it, which looked southward, Joshua 15:2; at the south end of Jordan; where it fell into the salt sea: this [was] the south coast; as before described. Joshua 18:20 Ver. 20. And Jordan was the border of it on the east side,....

7:16-26 See the folly of those that promise themselves secrecy in sin. The righteous God has many ways of bringing to light the hidden works of darkness. See also, how much it is our concern, when God is contending with us, to find out the cause that troubles us. We must pray with holy Job, Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Achan's sin began in the eye. He saw these fine things, as Eve saw the forbidden fruit. See what comes of suffering the heart to walk after the eyes, and what need we have to make this covenant with our eyes, that if they wander they shall be sure to weep for it. It proceeded out of the heart. They that would be kept from sinful actions, must mortify and check in themselves sinful desires, particularly the desire of worldly wealth. Had Achan looked upon these things with an eye of faith, he would have seen they were accursed things, and would have dreaded them; but looking on them with an eye of sense only, he saw them as goodly things, and coveted them. When he had committed the sin, he tried to hide it. As soon as he had got this plunder, it became his burden, and he dared not to use his ill-gotten treasure. So differently do objects of temptation appear at a distance, to what they do when they have been gotten. See the deceitfulness of sin; that which is pleasing in the commission, is bitter in the reflection. See how they will be deceived that rob God. Sin is a very troublesome thing, not only to a sinner himself, but to all about him.

The righteous God will certainly recompense tribulation to them that trouble his people. Achan perished not alone in his sin. They lose their own, who grasp at more than their own. His sons and daughters were put to death with him. It is probable that they helped to hide the things; they must have known of them. What fatal consequences follow, even in this world, to the sinner himself, and to all belonging him! One sinner destroys much good. What, then, will be the wrath to come? Let us flee from it to Christ Jesus as the sinner's Friend. There are circumstances in the confession of Achan, marking the progress of sin, from its first entrance into the heart to its being done, which may serve as the history of almost every offence against the law of God, and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Joshua 7:18 . Achan was taken — Here we learn that, however secretly we may conceal our wickedness, yet God knoweth it, and sooner or later will bring it to light and due condemnation. There is nothing secret which shall not be made manifest, neither any thing hid that shall not be known. God will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. Reader, remember this; revere the all-seeing eye of God; stand in awe and sin not.

18 . and Achan … was taken ] ( a ) Sometimes in taking the sacred lot dice were thrown; comp. the expression “ to cast lots ” ( Joshua 18:10 ); to “ throw ” them ( Joshua 18:6 ); “the lot falls ” ( Jonah 1:7 ; Ezekiel 24:6 ); ( b ) sometimes tesseræ were flung into a vessel and then drawn out; comp. the expressions “the lot came forth ” Numbers 33:54 ; “ came up ” Leviticus 16:9 . Joshua 7:18

16-18. So Joshua rose up early, and brought Israel by their tribes—that is, before the tabernacle. The lot being appealed to (Pr 16:33), he proceeded in the inquiry from heads of tribes to heads of families, and from heads of households in succession to one family, and to particular persons in that family, until the criminal was found to be Achan, who, on Joshua's admonition, confessed the fact of having secreted for his own use, in the floor of his tent, spoil both in garments and money [Jos 7:19-21]. How dreadful must have been his feelings when he saw the slow but certain process of discovery! (Nu 32:23).

Execution of the Command. - Joshua 7:16-18 . Discovery of the guilty man through the lot. In Joshua 7:17 we should expect "the tribe" (shebet) or "the families" (mishpachoth) of Judah, instead of "the family." The plural mishpachoth is adopted in the lxx and Vulgate, and also to be met with in seven MSS; but this is a conjecture rather than the original reading Mishpachah is either used generally, or employed in a collective sense to denote all the families of Judah. There is no ground for altering לגּברים (man by man) into לבתּים (house by house) in Joshua 7:17 , according to some of the MSS; the expression "man by man" is used simply because it was the representative men who came for the lot to be cast, not only in the case of the fathers' houses, but in that of the families also.

[Reformed Biblical] Thou needest and deservest more than that lot, of which thou art actually possessed, and thou hast power to get more; which if thou endeavourest to do, God will bless thee, and give thee more. ## Ver. 18. The outgoings of it; either, 1. The productions or of that land, when it is cleared from the wood, and purged; or rather, ## 2. The valleys and fields belonging or adjoining to it, for there the Canaanites were, #Joshua 17:16 . ## JOSHUA CHAPTER 18 The tabernacle is set up in Shiloh, #Joshua 18:1 . The remainder of the land described, and divided into seven parts, for the seven tribes which as yet had no inheritance, #Joshua 18:2-9 . Joshua casts the lot at Shiloh, #Joshua 18:10 : the first comes out for Benjamin, whose borders and cities are described, #Joshua 18:11-28 . ## Ver. 1. Set up the tabernacle of the congregation there, by God’s appointment, as is manifest from #Deuteronomy 12:5 , &c.; #Jeremiah 7:12 . Hither it was removed from Gilgal, partly for the honour and conveniency of Joshua, that he being of the tribe of Ephraim, and seating himself there, might have the opportunity of consulting with God as oft as he desired and needed; and partly for the conveniency of all the tribes, that, being in the heart and centre of them, they might more easily resort to it from all places. Here the tabernacle continued for above three hundred years, even till Samuel’s days, #1 Samuel 1:3 .