Joshua 7:20-21
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Achan doesn't just confess his sin; he emphasizes that he sinned "against the LORD God of Israel," recognizing that his actions were not just a personal mistake but a betrayal of the covenant relationship with the God who had so powerfully delivered His people. This highlights how sin often impacts not just the individual but the entire community's standing with God.
And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Israel suffered a devastating defeat at the small city of Ai due to one man's hidden sin, Joshua confronts Achan. Having been identified by lot and by God's own judgment, Achan is now directly challenged by Joshua to confess his transgression, the "accursed thing" he stole from Jericho. This confession is critical for restoring God's presence and favor to the people of Israel.
Achan's confession, 'Truly I have sinned,' seems straightforward. But what makes a confession truly count before God?
Achan's words, 'Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did,' are more than just an admission. They signal a turning point.
Recognizing the Offense
Sincerity Under Pressure
While we can't fully know a heart, Achan's confession comes after God has used the lot to expose him. The scholars note his confession feels 'ingenious' and 'open.' It's a forced honesty, perhaps, but an honesty nonetheless. He doesn't try to minimize or excuse his actions. This willingness to own the deed, even when caught, is the first step toward genuine repentance.
Achan’s sin was hidden, but its consequences were devastating for the entire community. How can one hidden act cause so much trouble?
Achan's sin wasn't just personal; it was communal.
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The 'Accursed Thing'
God had commanded that the spoil of Jericho be devoted entirely to Him – it was 'accursed' or set apart. By taking a Babylonian garment, silver, and gold, Achan stole from God and desecrated what belonged to the Lord.
Affecting the Whole Camp
This wasn't just a matter of Achan's conscience. His disobedience brought God's displeasure not just on him, but on all of Israel. They suffered defeat at Ai because of this hidden sin.
Understand the original words
chata · Hebrew Verb
To miss the mark or fall short of the standard set by God's holiness and moral law, resulting in separation from Him and requiring repentance and atonement.
shalal · Hebrew Noun
A general term for goods, wealth, or booty seized from an enemy in war. In a biblical context, it often refers to items dedicated to the Lord or prohibited for personal use.
chamad · Hebrew Verb
A strong, illicit desire for something that belongs to another or is forbidden, often viewed as the root of transgression against God's commands.
This event highlights the severe consequences of disobedience in the early days of Israel's conquest. God's command regarding the spoils of Jericho was absolute, and Achan's coveting and theft not only led to his own destruction but also brought defeat and judgment upon the entire nation.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Following God's guidance, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan River to begin their conquest of the Promised Land.
c. 1400 BC
Sack of Jericho
The Israelites miraculously conquer and utterly destroy Jericho, under strict divine command that its spoils be "devoted to destruction."
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Achan's Sin
Achan secretly takes forbidden plunder from Jericho, violating God's direct command and bringing divine judgment upon Israel.
c. 1400 BC
Defeat at Ai
Due to Achan's sin, the Israelites suffer a humiliating defeat at the city of Ai, with 36 men killed.
c. 1400 BC
Discovery and Confession
Through the casting of lots and Joshua's confrontation, Achan's sin is exposed, leading to his confession.
c. 1400 BC
Judgment in the Valley of Achor
Achan, his family, and possessions are brought to the Valley of Achor, where he is stoned and burned for his transgression.
This passage highlights that obedience is far more valuable to God than sacrifice, echoing Achan's sin of disobedience despite God's clear commands and the people's success.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10This passage lists various sins, including greed and theft, that will keep people out of God's kingdom, underscoring the seriousness of Achan's coveting and taking what was forbidden.
Acts 5:1-11The story of Ananias and Sapphira offers a parallel where dishonesty about possessions dedicated to God led to immediate divine judgment, similar to the severe consequences Achan faced for his hidden sin.
Romans 7:7Paul's reflection that the law's prohibition is what reveals sin ('for I would not have known coveting if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet'') directly relates to Achan's sin, which was a direct violation of God's command.
1 John 2:16This verse categorizes sinful desires into the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and pride in possessions, all of which were evident in Achan's motivation for taking the forbidden spoil.
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…
bensonJoshua 7:20: "And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:"
Joshua 7:20 . Indeed I have sinned — He seems to make a sincere and ingenuous confession, and loads his sin with all just aggravations. Against the Lord — Against his express command, and glorious attributes. God of Israel — The true God, who hath chosen me and all Israel to be the people of his peculiar love and care.
Achan doesn't just confess his sin; he emphasizes that he sinned "against the LORD God of Israel," recognizing that his actions were not just a personal mistake but a betrayal of the covenant relationship with the God who had so powerfully delivered His people. This highlights how sin often impacts not just the individual but the entire community's standing with God.
After Israel suffered a devastating defeat at the small city of Ai due to one man's hidden sin, Joshua confronts Achan. Having been identified by lot and by God's own judgment, Achan is now directly challenged by Joshua to confess his transgression, the "accursed thing" he stole from Jericho. This confession is critical for restoring God's presence and favor to the people of Israel.
After Israel suffered a devastating defeat at the small city of Ai due to one man's hidden sin, Joshua confronts Achan. Having been identified by lot and by God's own judgment, Achan is now directly challenged by Joshua to confess his transgression, the "accursed thing" he stole from Jericho. This confession is critical for restoring God's presence and favor to the people of Israel.
"And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I cove…" — Achan doesn't just confess his sin; he emphasizes that he sinned "against the LORD God of Israel," recognizing that his actions were not just a personal mistake but a betrayal of the covenant relatio…
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Last reviewed October 2026
