*H But the children of Israel transgressed the commandment, and took to their own use of that which was accursed. For Achan, the son of Charmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zare, of the tribe of Juda, took something of the anathema: and the Lord was angry against the children of Israel.
Ver. 1. Children. Achan was guilty of theft: some of the rest might have connived at his fault. He had taken what was reserved for the Lord. The offender was discovered, to inspire all with a horror for his conduct. Some of his brethren were punished, (v. 5,) but they suffered for their own secret transgressions, or death might be no real punishment to them; while the Israelites were awakened to a sense of their own inability to conquer without the divine protection, and were forced to humble themselves. H. — Chastisements are the marks of God's displeasure, though they frequently proceed also from his clemency. — Achan is called Achar, 1 Par. ii. 7. These five persons occupy the space of 265 years; so that they must have been 50 or 55 years old, when they had children.
* Footnote ** 1_Paralipomenon 2 : 7
And the sons of Charmi: Achar, who troubled Israel, and sinned by the theft of the anathema.*H And when Josue sent men from Jericho against Hai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of the town of Bethel, he said to them: Go up, and view the country: and they fulfilled his command, and viewed Hai.
Ver. 2. Against Hai, to see the situation and strength of that city, which was about 10 miles west, or rather north, of Jericho. It was afterwards rebuilt, 1 Esd. ii. 28. — Bethaven and Bethel are the same place; (S. Jerom. C.) though many distinguish them, with Cellarius. The former name means "the house of iniquity," because Jeroboam there set up a golden calf. Bethel was its former appellation, in consequence of the vision of Jacob. Gen. xxviii.
*H And returning, they said to him: Let not all the people go up, but let two or three thousand men go, and destroy the city: why should all the people be troubled in vain, against enemies that are very few?
Ver. 3. Few. It appears, however, that the city contained 12,000 fighting men; so that these spies must have formed a false notion of its strength. C. viii. 25.
*H And were defeated by the men of the city of Hai, and there fell of them six and thirty men: and the enemies pursued them from the gate as far as Sabarim, and they slew them as they fled by the descent: and the heart of the people was struck with fear, and melted like water.
Ver. 5. Sabarim, which means people "broken and defeated." Sept. "they pursued them from the gate, till they had entirely broken them," destroying 36, and putting the rest to flight. C. — This small disaster filled the whole camp with dismay, as the Lord generally caused the victories of his people to be complete, and without any loss, as long as they continued in his favour. None were found wanting of those who attacked and destroyed so many of the Madianites. Num. xxxi. 49. H.
*H But Josue rent his garments, and fell flat on the ground, before the ark of the Lord, until the evening, both he and all the ancients of Israel: and they put dust upon their heads.
Ver. 6. Heads. These marks of grief were very common. Achilles covered his head with ashes, tore his garments and face, when he received news of the death of his friend, Patroclus. Homer and Virgil, (xii.) speaking of Latinus, the king, says, It scissa veste Latinus—Canitiem immundo perfusam pulvere turpans.
*H And Josue said: Alas, O Lord God, why wouldst thou bring this people over the river Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorrhite, and to destroy us? would God we had stayed beyond the Jordan, as we began.
Ver. 7. Began. Some had established themselves in the land of Galaad. M. — Heb. "would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan." Josue speaks in this animated manner, through zeal for the glory of God, (C.) more than for any personal inconvenience. He was grieved that any one should have merited God's displeasure. He was afraid that the Chanaanites would blaspheme the great name of the Lord, v. 9.
*H Israel hath sinned, and transgressed my covenant: and they have taken of the anathema, and have stolen and lied, and have hid it among their goods.
Ver. 11. Lied. Each one, on delivering up what he had taken, made profession, at least by his behaviour, (H.) that he retained nothing. Achan did like the rest, but he kept back of the plunder. C. — He lied, and did not comply with the promise made by all Israel, which he was bound to observe, as much as if he had made it with his own mouth.
*H Arise, sanctify the people, and say to them: Be ye sanctified against tomorrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel: The curse is in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thy enemies, till he be destroyed out of thee, that is defiled with this wickedness.
Ver. 13. Sanctified. Prepared by washing, &c. to appear before the tabernacle, and to see the event. Sept. "purify the people." Chal. "call an assembly."
* Footnote * Leviticus 20 : 7
Sanctify yourselves, and be ye holy: because I am the Lord your God.* Footnote * Numbers 11 : 18
And thou shalt say to the people: Be ye sanctified: to morrow you shall eat flesh: for I have heard you say: Who will give us flesh to eat? It was well with us in Egypt. That the Lord may give you flesh, and you may eat:* Footnote * 1_Kings 16 : 5
And he said: It is peaceable: I am come to offer sacrifice to the Lord, be ye sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Isai and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.*H And you shall come in the morning, every one by your tribes: and what tribe soever the lot shall find, it shall come by its kindreds, and the kindred by its houses and tho house by the men.
Ver. 14. Find. Heb. "it shall be the tribe which the Lord taketh." H. — This was done by lots, as on similar occasions, 1 K. x. 20. and xiv. 41. When God authorized this method, there could be no danger in it. But to have recourse to lots without such authority, would be often tempting God. The apostles chose an apostle by lot: but they had first taken every precaution (C.) to select two persons, both fit for the important charge. H. — To commit the choice of sacred ministers to chance would be extremely improper. "We forbid the use of lots in the elections," said Honorius. C.
*H And bringing his house man by man, he found Achan, the son of Charmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zare, of the tribe of Juda.
Ver. 18. Juda. The dignity of this tribe enhanced the fault of Achan. M.
*H And Josue said to Achan: My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and confess, and tell me what thou hast done, hide it not.
Ver. 19. My son. Clemency is the virtue of great souls. — Give glory. Confess candidly. Jo. ix. 24.
*H For I saw among the spoils a scarlet garment, exceeding good, and two hundred sicles of silver, and a golden rule of fifty sicles: and I coveted them, and I took them away, and hid them in the ground in the midst of my tent, and the silver I covered with the earth that I dug up.
Ver. 21. Garment. Heb. "a robe of Sannaar, or of Babylon." This city was famous for embroidered, or painted robes, such as were worn by kings. Jonas iii. 6. Plin. viii. 48. — Rule, or linget. No coin was yet used. C.
*H Then Josue, and all Israel with him, took Achan, the son of Zare, and the silver, and the garment, and the golden rule, his sons also, and his daughters, his oxen, and asses, and sheep, the tent also, and all the goods: and brought them to the valley of Achor:
Ver. 24. His sons, &c. Probably conscious to, or accomplices of the crime of their father, (Ch.) as he could hardly have concealed these things in the midst of his tent without their knowledge. M. — But granting, with S. Aug. (q. 8,) that they were innocent of this crime, God, who is the sovereign arbiter of life and death, might order them out of the world, on this occasion, without injustice.
*H Where Josue said: Because thou hast troubled us, the Lord trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him: and all things that were his, were consumed with fire.
Ver. 25. Day. Hence some have drawn a very weak argument, to prove the repentance of Achan, as if he had only to undergo a temporary punishment. It is probable, however, that his sincere confession, proceeding from a penitent heart, might influence God to shew him mercy. — Fire. Children, as well as his other effects; though some have supposed that the former were spared, as they are not here specified. Heb. seems to include them; "and burnt them with fire after they had stoned them with stones." Chaldee says they were stoned first. C.
*H And they gathered together upon him a great heap of stones, which remaineth until this present day And the wrath of the Lord was turned away from them. And the name of that place was called the Valley of Achor, until this day.
Ver. 26. Achor. That is, trouble; (Ch.) in allusion to the name of Achar, as he is called in the Sept. invariably, and in the Heb. and Vulg. in the Book of Chronicles. H. — This heap of stones was thrown upon the ashes of the deceased, or perhaps at his person, while he was burning at the stake, as it is the custom still among the Turks. Roger. ii. 7. The king of Hai was treated in this manner. C. viii. 29. See 2 K. xviii. 17. The vale of Achor was on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho, where a small castle, at Adommim, was built to protect travellers from the insults of robbers, who infested that part. Lu. x. 30. C. xv. 7.