Joshua 7 11

Joshua 7:11 kjv

Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

Joshua 7:11 nkjv

Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff.

Joshua 7:11 niv

Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.

Joshua 7:11 esv

Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.

Joshua 7:11 nlt

Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings.

Joshua 7 verses

Joshua 7 11 Meaning

Joshua 7:11 reveals God's direct declaration of Israel's sin and transgression against His covenant. Specifically, it details the violation involving the devoted things from Jericho (the herem), characterizing the act as theft, deception, and the incorporation of prohibited items into personal possessions. This corporate sin led directly to their defeat at Ai.

Joshua 7 11 Context

Joshua chapter 7 describes the aftermath of Israel's stunning defeat at Ai, following their miraculous victory at Jericho. God's promise was to be with Israel and give them victory, but a sudden and inexplicable defeat occurred. This verse is God's immediate answer to Joshua's desperate plea for understanding. Joshua 6:18 had explicitly commanded Israel not to take any of the herem (devoted things) from Jericho, declaring them consecrated to the Lord and anything taken would bring disaster upon the camp. Achan's secret sin, described later in the chapter, involved taking silver, gold, and a valuable cloak, which violated this divine command. God, speaking to Joshua, identifies this transgression as the reason for Israel's weakness and the subsequent defeat, indicating the profound corporate implications of individual sin within the covenant community.

Joshua 7 11 Word analysis

• Israel has sinned (חָֽטְאָ֥ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל - chat'ah yisra'el):

  • חָטָא (chata'): Hebrew verb meaning "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to sin." It denotes a failure to meet a standard, here God's standard.
  • Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל): Despite the act being by one individual (Achan), God holds the entire nation accountable. This highlights the concept of corporate responsibility within the covenant community. One member's sin can defile and affect the whole body, demonstrating a shared spiritual state and destiny under the covenant.
  • Significance: The direct, concise statement leaves no room for doubt about the cause of the defeat.

• they have violated (עָבְרוּ - avru):

  • עָבַר (avar): Hebrew verb meaning "to cross over," "to transgress," "to pass beyond." Here, it specifically implies breaking or stepping across the boundaries of a law or agreement.
  • Significance: Emphasizes the intentional breaching of an established sacred boundary set by God.

• my covenant (בְּרִיתִי - b'ritiy):

  • בְּרִית (b'rit): Hebrew for "covenant," a solemn agreement, often with binding obligations, between God and His people. God's covenant with Israel established their special relationship and duties (e.g., Ex 19:5-6).
  • Significance: Achan's act wasn't just a minor transgression; it was a direct assault on the foundational relationship and agreement between God and Israel, striking at the very heart of their identity and existence as His chosen people. The covenant implied both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

• which I commanded them (אֲשֶׁ֤ר צִוִּיתִי֙ אוֹתָ֔ם - asher tzivitiy otam):

  • צָוָה (tzavah): Hebrew verb meaning "to command," "to ordain." It stresses divine authority behind the instruction.
  • Significance: The command regarding herem (Jos 6:18-19) was specific, clear, and recent. This highlights the high degree of culpability—Israel knew the command.

• They have taken some of the devoted things (וְגַ֤ם לָֽקְחוּ֙ מִן־הַחֵ֔רֶם - v'gam lakchu min-ha-cherem):

  • לָקַח (laqach): Hebrew verb meaning "to take." Simple act of possession.
  • חֵרֶם (cherem): Hebrew term for "devoted thing," "ban," "utterly destroyed." In warfare, spoils dedicated entirely to God as holy property (either consumed by fire or brought to the treasury) and strictly forbidden for personal use. To take herem for oneself was to profane what was sacred to God.
  • Significance: This specifies the nature of the violation. It wasn't just any theft; it was taking what was set apart for God, making it an act of sacrilege and robbery against God Himself. This defilement incurred God's wrath upon the entire community.

• they have stolen (וְגַ֤ם גָּֽנְבוּ֙ - v'gam ganvu):

  • גָּנַב (ganav): Hebrew verb meaning "to steal." Straightforward illicit taking.
  • Significance: This word explicitly names the criminal act, showing it wasn't just accidental. It reinforces the illegality from a human perspective, while "devoted things" highlights the religious violation.

• they have lied (וְגַחֲמֹ֖ן - v'chakhashu):

  • כָּחַשׁ (kachash): Hebrew verb meaning "to deny," "to lie," "to deal falsely," "to conceal." Implies an attempt to hide the sin or a refusal to admit it.
  • Significance: Reveals the deception and lack of transparency, compounding the sin with dishonesty before God and the community. This indicates a conscious act to defy the command and evade detection.

• they have put them with their own possessions (וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ בִכְלֵיהֶֽם׃ - vayyasimu bikhlehem):

  • שִׂים (sim): Hebrew verb meaning "to put," "to place."
  • כְּלִי (keli): Hebrew for "vessel," "article," "utensil," "possession."
  • Significance: This describes the specific act of assimilation – taking the consecrated items and making them part of one's own, effectively desecrating them. It underscores the personal appropriation of what belonged exclusively to God. It highlights the heart of covetousness that led to the disobedience.

Joshua 7 11 Bonus section

The herem (devoted thing) concept highlights God's demand for total obedience and exclusivity in worship, serving as a direct counter-narrative to Canaanite practices which often involved incorporating conquered deities' idols and spoils for personal gain. Israel's failure to practice herem purification effectively adopted a pagan mindset of using divine things for human ends. The communal punishment emphasizes that sin, especially within a covenant body, is not merely individualistic but has collective spiritual ramifications, potentially grieving the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30) and affecting God's relationship with the entire group. This episode provides a profound lesson on the purity required in God's presence and the cost of complacency regarding His explicit commands.

Joshua 7 11 Commentary

Joshua 7:11 is a pivotal verse in understanding the theocratic nature of Israel. It asserts that Israel's military failure was a direct consequence of a specific sin: the violation of God's clear command regarding the herem from Jericho. This transgression, though committed by one individual (Achan), impacted the entire nation because they were bound by a covenant of corporate responsibility. The act of taking the devoted things, labelled as stealing, lying, and incorporating them into personal wealth, was not merely theft, but a profound act of sacrilege and defiance against God's holiness and direct instructions. God’s emphasis on "My covenant" shows that Achan’s sin was a betrayal of the fundamental relationship Israel had with their deliverer. The purity and consecration of the camp were essential for God’s continued presence and blessing among them. This verse underscores the absolute seriousness of disobedience, particularly concerning things dedicated to God, and the severe, communal repercussions that follow, even if the act is committed secretly by one member.