עָכָן (a.khan)
a.khan
Achan
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Achan, or ‘Akhān, means "troubler" in Hebrew. It appears six times in the Old Testament, exclusively within the book of Joshua. The figure identified by this name was a member of the tribe of Judah and the son of Carmi, living during the period before the establishment of the Israelite monarchy.
His story centers on the capture of Jericho, where God had issued a strict ban on taking any spoils of war. Achan violated this command by secretly keeping devoted items, an act that brought defeat upon the Israelites at Ai. The narrative describes his subsequent execution by stoning, along with his family and possessions, as a consequence for breaking the covenant ban.
Translators consistently render this name as "Achan," preserving its identity as a proper noun rather than translating it as a common adjective. The etymology directly links his personal name to the disruption he caused within the community, marking him as a cautionary figure in the biblical text regarding obedience and communal holiness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Achan's name means 'troubler,' and the story in Joshua 7 shows just how much trouble a single hidden act can stir up. After Jericho's victory, God's clear command was to devote everything to Him. Achan secretly kept a robe, silver, and gold, thinking no one would know. When Israel was then routed at Ai, God revealed that sin had lodged in the camp. Joshua called Achan forward with a tender address—'My son, give glory to the Lord'—and invited him to confess (Joshua 7:19). The confession came, but the consequence was devastating: the whole household suffered.
It is a hard story to read. Yet even here, light slips through. Joshua's words were not condemnation first but an open door to honesty. For those who trust Christ, hidden sins no longer carry the final penalty of death, because Jesus bore that curse for us. The valley where Achan fell—Achor, meaning 'trouble'—was later promised to become a door of hope. Our failures still ripple through relationships, but when we bring them into the light, God can do what He always does: turn a place of shame into a place where we learn to stay in the light together.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Achan6×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָכָ֣ן3×
- עָכָ֞ן1×
- עָכָ֛ן1×
- עָכָ֗ן1×
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Achan mean?
Why was Achan's sin considered so serious?
What happened to Achan's family?
Does the story of Achan appear anywhere outside the book of Joshua?
Every Occurrence (6 verses across 1 books)
Joshua 6 verses
But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi,…
Joshua 7:18He brought near his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe…
Joshua 7:19Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to Yahweh, the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Tell me now…
Joshua 7:20Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
Joshua 7:24Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the wedge of gold, his sons, his…
Joshua 22:20Didn’t Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the devoted thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel?…