And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The heap of stones wasn't just a marker of Achan's disgrace, but also symbolized the immense weight of his sin that brought trouble upon all of Israel, making it a "valley of trouble" until God's anger was appeased. This public monument served as a stark, enduring reminder that individual sin has communal consequences and requires collective repentance for restoration.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai due to Achan's sin of taking forbidden plunder, Joshua confronts him. Achan confesses, the stolen goods are recovered, and he, his family, and possessions are taken to the Valley of Achor. There, Achan is executed by stoning and burning, and a heap of stones is raised over him as a memorial.
A large pile of stones. A name that means 'trouble.' This wasn't just a quick punishment, but a public, lasting testimony to a devastating sin.
Joshua 7:26 describes a heap of stones raised over Achan, serving as a stark memorial. This wasn't merely a burial marker; it was a cairn of infamy and a constant warning.
A Public Testimony
This enduring monument underscored the seriousness with which God viewed sin within His covenant community.
The anger of God was fierce, causing Israel defeat and near destruction. But this devastating judgment wasn't arbitrary; it had a purpose, and its cessation was tied to justice being served.
The verse states, "Then the LORD turned from his burning anger." This turning isn't about God changing His nature, but about the cessation of His judgment's effects on Israel.
The Price of Sin
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for 'LORD' represents the personal, covenantal name of God, YHWH, who reveals Himself to His people and fulfills His promises. It denotes the self-existent, eternal God who is actively involved in the history of Israel.
aph · Hebrew Noun
The Hebrew word for anger, often used to describe God’s intense, righteous displeasure against sin and rebellion. It represents His holiness reacting against wickedness, which must be appeased or satisfied through judgment or atonement.
emeq · Hebrew Noun
A valley or low-lying area, often used symbolically in the Bible to represent places of judgment, humility, or challenge. In this context, it serves as a geographic marker linked to the historical event of Achan's judgment.
Achor · Hebrew Proper Noun
A name derived from the root meaning 'to trouble' or 'to disturb,' signifying a place where God brought judgment due to sin. It stands as a perpetual monument to the consequences of disobedience and the holiness of God.
This event underscores how one person's sin can bring devastating consequences upon an entire community, and how God, while just in His judgment, also offers a path to restoration and hope through confession and repentance.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Jericho
After the miraculous fall of Jericho, the Israelites were commanded by God not to take any spoils for themselves. This victory established God's power and the importance of obedience.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Achan's Sin of Taking Spoils
Achan, an Israelite, secretly took a valuable cloak, silver, and gold from Jericho, defying God's specific command. This act of disobedience contaminated the entire community.
c. 1406 BC
Israel's Defeat at Ai
Due to Achan's sin, the Israelite army suffered a humiliating defeat at Ai, with 36 men killed. This loss revealed that God was not with them until the sin was purged.
c. 1406 BC
Discovery and Judgment of Achan
Through a divine process involving lots and confession, Achan's sin was exposed. He, his family, and all his possessions were brought to the Valley of Achor and stoned and burned as a consequence.
c. 1406 BC
Restoration of God's Favor
After Achan's execution and the removal of the 'accursed thing,' God's anger subsided. Joshua and the Israelites were able to resume their conquest successfully.
c. 8th century BC
Valley of Achor Mentioned by Isaiah
The prophet Isaiah references the Valley of Achor as a place where God will restore Israel, highlighting its historical significance as a place of both trouble and later hope.
c. 8th century BC
Valley of Achor Mentioned by Hosea
Hosea also refers to the Valley of Achor, reinterpreting its meaning from 'trouble' to a 'door of hope,' showing how God can bring good out of past sin and judgment.
This verse is directly alluded to when Hosea speaks of the 'Valley of Achor' as a 'door of hope,' showing how a place associated with deep trouble can become a place of renewed opportunity with God's restoration.
Isaiah 65:10Isaiah echoes the significance of the Valley of Achor, referencing it as a place where livestock will lie down, highlighting its transformation from a place of divine judgment to one of peace and restoration in the future.
1 Corinthians 10:11Paul uses the story of Achan and the Israelites' defeat as a cautionary example, reminding believers that these events were written down to warn us against succumbing to sin and its devastating consequences.
John 9:24Joshua's charge to Achan to 'give glory to the LORD God of Israel' and confess mirrors the approach of the Jewish leaders to the man born blind, who similarly demanded he give glory to God and confess the truth about Jesus.
2 Samuel 18:17This passage describes a great heap of stones raised over Absalom after his death, similar to the heap over Achan, serving as a lasting monument and a public mark of infamy for a grave offense.
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…
cambridgeJoshua 7:26: "And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day."
26 . a great heap of stones ] As a memorial and a warning of his sin and its punishment. The custom of casting stones on certain graves was not unknown among other nations also, as the Arabs and the Romans. Compare Propertius 4:5. 74. So the Lord turned ] “Even to Achan himself,” remark…
The heap of stones wasn't just a marker of Achan's disgrace, but also symbolized the immense weight of his sin that brought trouble upon all of Israel, making it a "valley of trouble" until God's anger was appeased. This public monument served as a stark, enduring reminder that individual sin has communal consequences and requires collective repentance for restoration.
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai due to Achan's sin of taking forbidden plunder, Joshua confronts him. Achan confesses, the stolen goods are recovered, and he, his family, and possessions are taken to the Valley of Achor. There, Achan is executed by stoning and burning, and a heap of stones is raised over him as a memorial.
After Israel's devastating defeat at Ai due to Achan's sin of taking forbidden plunder, Joshua confronts him. Achan confesses, the stolen goods are recovered, and he, his family, and possessions are taken to the Valley of Achor. There, Achan is executed by stoning and burning, and a heap of stones is raised over him as a memorial.
"And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor." — The heap of stones wasn't just a marker of Achan's disgrace, but also symbolized the immense weight of his sin that brought trouble upon all of Israel, making it a "valley of trouble" until God's a…
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Last reviewed October 2026