Joshua 7 20

Joshua 7:20 kjv

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 nkjv

And Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I have done:

Joshua 7:20 niv

Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done:

Joshua 7:20 esv

And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did:

Joshua 7:20 nlt

Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel.

Joshua 7 verses

Joshua 7 20 Meaning

Achan, confronted after divine revelation exposed his sin, formally confesses to Joshua that he did indeed violate God's specific command. His statement explicitly acknowledges that his action was a direct transgression "against the LORD God of Israel" and affirms his responsibility for the deed. This confession was not spontaneous but was prompted by his public identification through the casting of lots.

Joshua 7 20 Context

Joshua 7 details a critical setback for Israel immediately after their triumphant conquest of Jericho. Despite God's explicit command that the "devoted things" (the spoils of Jericho, designated for destruction or for God's treasury) were not to be taken, one individual, Achan, secretly coveted and stole some of these items. This single act of disobedience brought God's judgment upon the entire nation, leading to their humiliating defeat at Ai and the loss of thirty-six lives. This verse captures Achan's confession after he was divinely singled out, first by tribe, then by family, and finally by individual, through a process of lots. His confession, therefore, follows his identification and confrontation, not preceding it out of genuine repentance. It occurs just before his swift and severe punishment, along with his family and possessions, serving to purge the defilement from the Israelite camp. The narrative underscores the holiness of God, the seriousness of covenant disobedience, and the corporate impact of individual sin within the community.

Joshua 7 20 Word analysis

• Achan (עָכָן, `Akan): A proper name, derived from the Hebrew root `ākhar, meaning "to trouble" or "to make disaster." His name is often interpreted as an intentional pun or premonition, signifying "troubler" (later rendered Achar, עָכָר, in 1 Chr 2:7), as his actions brought great trouble upon Israel.
• answered (וַיַּעַן, vayya'an): Implies a response to a direct inquiry or accusation. It indicates Achan was questioned after being identified, rather than offering a spontaneous, voluntary confession.
• Joshua: The leader of Israel, acting as God's representative, holding Achan accountable for his transgression against divine command.
• said: Introduces Achan's direct speech, a confession of guilt.
• Indeed (אָמְנָה, 'omnâ): An emphatic particle, meaning "truly" or "verily." It highlights the veracity and certainty of Achan's admission once confronted with irrefutable evidence.
• I have sinned (חָטָאתִי, ḥāṭāʾtî): From the root חטא (ḥāṭā'), "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to fail." Here, it signifies a direct moral and spiritual transgression, an offense against a divine command, incurring guilt.
• against the LORD (יְהוָה, YHVH): The sacred covenant name of God (Yahweh), emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel and His supreme authority. Achan's sin was fundamentally against God Himself, not merely against Joshua or the people.
• God (אֱלֹהִים, 'Elohim): A general yet powerful name for God, emphasizing His deity, sovereignty, and might. The combined "LORD God" emphasizes His full divine nature and covenant Lordship.
• of Israel: Identifies YHVH as the God of the covenant nation, emphasizing that Achan's sin, though personal, directly impacted and was against the very God who was in covenant with all Israel.
• thus and thus (כָּזֹאת וְכָזֹאת, kāzoʾt wəḵāzoʾt): An idiomatic expression for indicating specific actions or details, implying Achan is about to detail or is alluding to the specific forbidden items he took. It signifies his clear knowledge of his transgressive deeds.

• "Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed, I have sinned": This phrase establishes the scene of the forced confession. Achan doesn't confess until he is unequivocally caught, indicating his admission stems from discovery rather than remorse. The "Indeed" confirms the undeniable truth of the accusation.
• "I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel": This group of words emphasizes the theological weight of Achan's crime. It highlights that the true offense was not primarily against the human leaders or the nation, but against the holy, covenant-keeping God Himself, whose command he had violated. This understanding is crucial for a proper biblical perspective on sin.
• "and thus and thus have I done": This concluding phrase, before the specific details in the next verse, signifies a full acknowledgment of his actions without immediately listing them. It underscores that he knows precisely what he did, validating the revelation of his guilt.

Joshua 7 20 Bonus section

• Achan's name, meaning "troubler," reflects the outcome of his actions (Josh 7:25-26 where the valley is named Achor, meaning "trouble"). This is a clear example of how personal choices, particularly those against divine mandates, can profoundly affect an entire community and earn a lasting designation of negative consequence.
• The specific method of identification (tribe, then clan, then family, then individual by lot) highlights God's sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to root out evil from His people, leaving no doubt about the true culprit and ensuring the restoration of His favor to the community.
• Achan's late confession, following public exposure rather than genuine internal conviction, underscores that merely acknowledging wrongdoing does not constitute true repentance, especially when one is discovered and has no choice but to admit guilt. The full nature of his sin (sacrilege and disobedience) made the confession a confirmation of judgment, not a means of avoiding it.
• The inclusion of his family in his punishment (Josh 7:24-25) has been a subject of discussion, interpreted either as corporate responsibility under a tribal-family system of justice common in that era, or that his family might have been complicit in concealing the forbidden items. Nevertheless, it demonstrates the severe implications of violating the herem command and its far-reaching consequences within the covenant community.

Joshua 7 20 Commentary

Joshua 7:20 is the formal public admission of guilt by Achan, the individual whose disobedience brought divine wrath and defeat upon Israel. This confession, compelled by God's meticulous process of revealing hidden sin through the lots, serves primarily to confirm God's judgment and righteousness. Achan's words, "I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel," underscore that all sin is fundamentally an affront to God's holy character and His specific commands, irrespective of immediate harm to others. His crime of coveting and taking from the cherem was not mere theft; it was an act of sacrilege against God’s exclusive claim on the spoils of Jericho, signifying a spiritual rebellion. While he confessed the deed, there is no biblical indication of genuine repentance—sorrow over his sin—but rather only regret at being caught, leading to a factual admission. This highlights that a forced confession, without a heart turned toward God, does not automatically avert consequences, particularly when covenant holiness and corporate well-being are at stake. Achan's judgment, therefore, became a powerful, albeit tragic, object lesson for the nascent nation about God's uncompromising justice and the absolute necessity of corporate obedience.