John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing , etc.] Or concerning it, with respect to it, by taking part of what was devoted to another use, and forbidden theirs: this was done, not by the whole body of the people, only by one of them; but it not being discovered who it was, it was imputed to the whole, on whom it lay to find out the guilty person and punish him, or else the whole must suffer for it: this chapter begins with a “but”, and draws a vail over the fame and glory of Joshua, observed in ( Joshua 6:27); for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing ; of what was devoted to the Lord and to sacred uses; this he had taken to himself out of the spoil of the city of Jericho, for his own use, contrary to the command of God: his descent is particularly described, that it might be known of what family and tribe he was; and it is traced up to Zerah, who was a son of Judah, ( Genesis 38:30); and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel ; because of the sin of Achan.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Achan took some of the spoil of Jericho. The love of the world is tha root of bitterness, which of all others is most hardly rooted up. We should take heed of sin ourselves, lest by it many be defiled of disquieted, Heb 12:15; and take heed of having fellowship with sinners lest we share their guilt. It concerns us to watch over one another to prevent sin, because others' sins may be to our damage. The eas conquest of Jericho excited contempt of the enemy, and a disposition to expect the Lord to do all for them without their using proper means Thus men abuse the doctrines of Divine grace, and the promises of God into excuses for their own sloth and self-indulgence. We are to wor out our own salvation, though it is God that works in us. It was a dea victory to the Canaanites, whereby Israel was awakened and reformed and reconciled to their God, and the people of Canaan hardened to their own ruin.
Original Hebrew וימעלו4603 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 מעל4604 בחרם2764 ויקח3947 עכן5912 בן1121 כרמי3756 בן1121 זבדי2067 בן1121 זרח2226 למטה4294 יהודה3063 מן4480 החרם2764 ויחר2734 אף639 יהוה3068 בבני1121 ישׂראל׃3478
