Joshua 7:19
Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Joshua doesn't just demand a confession; he first calls Achan to "give glory to the LORD God of Israel." This isn't just about admitting guilt, but about acknowledging God's perfect knowledge and just power, which Achan's sin had tried to defy. It’s a profound call for Achan to align himself with God's truth, even as judgment looms.
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai, a consequence of Achan's secret sin of taking forbidden plunder from Jericho, God reveals to Joshua that the victory was lost because of "the ban" within the camp. Joshua then uses the casting of lots to identify the guilty tribe, then the family, and finally Achan himself, leading to this moment where Joshua confronts him directly. Joshua implores Achan to confess his sin, not just to him but to God, urging him to "give glory to the Lord" by acknowledging the truth and the divine justice that has now exposed him.
When caught red-handed, what's the first thing Joshua asks Achan to do? It's not just admitting guilt, but an act of worship.
Joshua's words to Achan, "give glory to the LORD God of Israel and make confession unto him," are incredibly profound. This isn't just about admitting wrongdoing; it's about recognizing God's character even in our sin.
Acknowledging God's Sovereignty
Confession, in this context, is an act that honors God by affirming His truth and His justice, even when it leads to our own shame and judgment.
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Joshua calls Achan 'my son' right before delivering a death sentence. How can such tenderness coexist with such severity?
Joshua's address to Achan as "my son" is striking. It wasn't a manipulation to get Achan to confess, nor was it insincere pity. Instead, it reveals a leader's heart that balances justice with compassion.
A Leader's Dilemma
Joshua's "son" reveals that discipline, even when severe, can stem from a place of loving concern for the spiritual health of the individual and the community, reflecting God's own fatherly heart.
Achan's sin wasn't just about a stolen garment and some silver; it brought disaster upon an entire nation. What does this tell us about the ripple effect of our choices?
Achan's personal sin had devastating consequences that extended far beyond himself. This highlights a crucial biblical principle: our actions have wider implications than we might realize.
The Impact Beyond the Individual
This passage calls us to consider not just the personal cost of sin, but its potential to affect our families, our church, and even our witness to the world.
Understand the original words
ben · Hebrew Noun
A term of familial relationship or endearment, often used by a leader or superior to address someone under their authority or a younger person, implying a relational appeal for truthfulness and repentance.
kabod · Hebrew Noun
To ascribe honor, importance, and reverence to God, acknowledging His holiness, sovereignty, and supreme nature, especially in the context of confessing the truth.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
A Hebrew word used to refer to the self-existent, eternal, and covenant-keeping God, the personal name by which He revealed Himself to Israel.
todah · Hebrew Noun
An expression of gratitude, honor, and confession directed toward God, acknowledging His character and works, often associated with the act of revealing hidden truth to Him.
Joshua's confrontation with Achan occurs immediately after a disastrous military defeat caused by Achan's disobedience. This context highlights the gravity of sin within the community and the importance of confession for restoring God's favor and enabling future obedience.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan begins
After the death of Moses, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River to begin their conquest of the Promised Land, starting with the capture of Jericho.
c. 1400 BC
Fall of Jericho
The Israelites, by God's command, utterly destroy the city of Jericho, with the exception of Rahab and her family. The spoils of Jericho were to be devoted to God.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Achan's Sin and Israel's Defeat at Ai
Achan secretly takes forbidden plunder from Jericho. Because of this sin, the Israelites are defeated by the men of Ai, suffering significant losses.
c. 1400 BC
Discovery of Achan's Sin
Through the use of the lot, Achan is identified as the cause of Israel's defeat. Joshua confronts Achan, demanding a confession.
c. 1400 BC
Achan's Execution and the Valley of Achor
Achan, his family, and his possessions are stoned and burned in the Valley of Achor as a sacrifice to God, purging the sin from Israel.
This passage also uses the phrase 'give glory to the LORD' in the context of confessing a wrongdoing and seeking to appease God's judgment, mirroring Joshua's plea to Achan.
Jeremiah 13:16Jeremiah urges the people to 'give glory to the Lord your God' before it's too late, emphasizing confession and acknowledgment of sin as a way to honor God and avert disaster.
John 9:24This New Testament account shows a similar solemn adjuration where the blind man is told to 'Give God the praise,' emphasizing the importance of honest confession and giving glory to God even when facing scrutiny.
Ezra 10:11The people confess their sin and separate themselves from it, a response that brings them to acknowledge their 'great guilt' before the LORD, aligning with the confession Joshua seeks from Achan.
Romans 4:20Paul's description of Abraham's faith, not wavering in believing God's promise, parallels Achan's ultimate confession, where God's omniscience and justice are affirmed through his acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
calvinJoshua 7:19-26: "And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Vidi inter spolia pallium, Babylon…
clarkeJoshua 7:19: "And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me."
My son, give - glory to the Lord God - The person being now detected, Joshua wishes him to acknowledge the omniscience of God, and confess his crime. And doubtless this was designed, not only for the edification of the people, and a vindication of the righteous judgment of God, but in reference to his own s…
Joshua doesn't just demand a confession; he first calls Achan to "give glory to the LORD God of Israel." This isn't just about admitting guilt, but about acknowledging God's perfect knowledge and just power, which Achan's sin had tried to defy. It’s a profound call for Achan to align himself with God's truth, even as judgment looms.
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai, a consequence of Achan's secret sin of taking forbidden plunder from Jericho, God reveals to Joshua that the victory was lost because of "the ban" within the camp. Joshua then uses the casting of lots to identify the guilty tribe, then the family, and finally Achan himself, leading to this moment where Joshua confronts him directly. Joshua implores Achan to confess his sin, not just to him but to God, urging him to "give glory to the Lord" by acknowledging the truth and the divine justice that has now exposed him.
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai, a consequence of Achan's secret sin of taking forbidden plunder from Jericho, God reveals to Joshua that the victory was lost because of "the ban" within the camp. Joshua then uses the casting of lots to identify the guilty tribe, then the family, and finally Achan himself, leading to this moment where Joshua confronts him directly. Joshua implores Achan to confess his sin, not just to him but to God, urging him to "give glory to the Lord" by acknowledging the truth and the divine justice that has now exposed him.
"Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.”" — Joshua doesn't just demand a confession; he first calls Achan to "give glory to the LORD God of Israel." This isn't just about admitting guilt, but about acknowledging God's perfect knowledge and jus…
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