Joshua 7:16-18 · Bible study
Joshua 7:16-18 Commentary: God’s Unfolding Selection of Achan by Lot
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Analysis of Joshua 7:16-18, the stepwise lot process exposing hidden sin, and lessons on divine judgment, corporate accountability, and grace.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God sovereignly uses a stepwise lot process, tribe to family to household to man, to expose Achan’s hidden sin, demonstrating that nothing escapes His sight.
- Key words: “Was taken” (וַיִּלָּכֵד, Niphal of לָכַד, to capture by lot); “man by man” (לַגְּבָרִים, heads of households); “family of the Zerahites” (descendants of Zerah).
- Main debate: Whether the text originally read “by households” in v. 17 (supported by six Hebrew MSS and Syriac, per Clarke) or “man by man” (defended by Keil & Delitzsch as representing heads of families).
- Theological theme: Hidden sin brings corporate defeat; God’s gracious exposure leads to confession, purification, and restored fellowship.
- Best use: Preaching on the connection between personal obedience and community health; teaching on the holiness of God and the necessity of dealing with sin.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
16So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected.
17He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected.
18And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.
WEB World English Bible 2000
16So Joshua rose up early in the morning and brought Israel near by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
17He brought near the family of Judah, and he selected the family of the Zerahites. He brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was selected.
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 of Judah, was selected.
KJV King James Version 1769
16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
16So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel near by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
17and he brought near the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zerahites: and he brought near the family of the Zerahites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
18and he brought near his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
16And Joshua riseth early in the morning, and bringeth Israel near by its tribes, and the tribe of Judah is captured;
17and he bringeth near the family of Judah, and he captureth the family of the Zarhite; and he bringeth near the family of the Zarhite by men, and Zabdi is captured;
18and he bringeth near his household by men, and Achan--son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah--is captured.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
16And Joshua rose early in the morning, and caused Israel to come forward by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken.
17And he caused the families of Judah to come forward, and he took the family of the Zarhites. And he caused the family of the Zarhites to come forward man by man, and Zabdi was taken.
18And he caused his household to come forward man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
16Joshua, therefore, when he rose in the morning, made Israel to come by their tribes, and the tribe of Juda was found.
17Which being brought by in families, it was found to be the family of Zare. Bringing that also by the houses, he found it to be Zabdi:
18And 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.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 7:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Joshua executed precisely the procedure God had commanded in Joshua 7:14, bringing Israel before the Lord in four successive stages: tribe by tribe, then family by family, then household by household, then man by man. Each stage narrowed the field until the guilty individual stood identified. The verb translated “was taken” (וַיִּלָּכֵד, Niphal of לָכַד) carries the sense of being captured or seized, likely through a sacred lot. The Cambridge Bible suggests the lot may have been cast like dice or drawn from a vessel, while Gill notes that Joshua’s early rising “showed his readiness and diligence to obey the command of God.” The process was public, methodical, and designed to leave no doubt of divine guidance. As the Geneva Bible tersely records, “the tribe of Judah was taken.” The commentaries uniformly observe that God’s method exposed what human detection could not, underscoring that hidden sin is never hidden from Him.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Lot as Urim and Thummim: Some commentators (e.g., Gill) reference the high priest’s breastplate stones; this aligns with the idea of divine selection through the sacred lot.
- Lot as casting dice or drawing tokens: The Cambridge Bible cites expressions like ‘the lot came forth’ (Num. 33:54) and ‘the lot fell’ (Jonah 1:7) to argue for a physical casting or drawing procedure.
What is clear: God sovereignly guided a public, stepwise process that narrowed the investigation from tribe to individual, exposing Achan as the one who had taken the devoted thing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Method of lot selection | The lot was a God-ordained means to reveal the guilty party, and the process was public and stepwise. | Some commentators (Cambridge Bible) describe lots cast like dice or drawn from a vessel; others (Gill) mention the high priest’s breastplate and stones called Urim and Thummim. The exact mechanism is not specified in the text. |
| Phrase 'man by man' in verse 17 | The phrase refers to the heads of households or representative men, not every individual Israelite. | Kennicott (cited by Clarke) argues the original reading should be “by households” (לבתים) based on six Hebrew MSS and the Syriac. Keil & Delitzsch maintain “man by man” is correct, since representatives came for the lot at each stage. |
| Significance of the tribe of Judah being selected first | The selection was by God’s sovereign lot; it shows that no tribe was exempt from inspection. | Some note Judah’s leadership role as the tribe chosen to lead the conquest; others see no special significance, the lot simply fell on Judah as the first unit in the process. |
| Corporate responsibility for individual sin | Achan’s sin brought defeat on the whole nation, illustrating covenant solidarity. | Traditions differ on the justice of corporate punishment. Historic Christian teaching often points to this as a picture of how one person’s sin can affect the whole body (1 Corinthians 12:26), while affirming that judgment ultimately falls on the guilty individual. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Joshua 7:16-18 unfolds in the camp at Gilgal, shortly after the defeat at Ai. The entire nation was reeling from military failure, and God had revealed that a “devoted thing” (חֵרֶם) among them was the cause. The selection process described here was a formal judicial inquiry conducted before the tabernacle, likely by means of the Urim and Thummim or by casting lots, a practice Israel understood as a reliable way to discern God’s will (compare Proverbs 16:33 and Joshua 18:6-10).
The stepwise narrowing, tribe, clan, household, individual, reflects the legal structures of Israelite society. The first level, the tribe of Judah, was the largest unit; from there the probe descended through the Zerahite clan (descended from Zerah, son of Judah and Tamar, Genesis 38:30), then the household of Zabdi, and finally to Achan son of Carmi. The phrase “man by man” (לַגְּבָרִים) probably designates the heads of households, as Wesley and Keil & Delitzsch explain, not every individual, but the representative men who stood for their families. A textual note from Clarke (citing Kennicott) observes that six Hebrew manuscripts read “by households” in verse 17 rather than “man by man,” though Keil & Delitzsch defend the present reading. Either way, the procedure was designed to be thorough and transparent.
Cross-references such as Joshua 3:1 and Genesis 22:3 reinforce the pattern of a leader rising early to obey God’s command, while Psalm 119:60 and Ecclesiastes 9:10 echo the theme of prompt, wholehearted obedience. The genealogy of Achan (1 Chronicles 2:7 mentions “Achar, the troubler of Israel”) places this event within the larger story of Judah’s settlement in the Promised Land.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one textual variant of interest. In Joshua 7:17, the phrase “man by man” (לַגְּבָרִים) has been questioned. According to Adam Clarke, Dr. Kennicott observed that six Hebrew manuscripts and the Syriac version read “by households” (לַבָּתִּים) instead. If the original read “by households,” the procedure would align more precisely with the four steps in verse 14 (tribe, families, households, men). However, Keil & Delitzsch defend “man by man,” arguing that representative men came forward for the lot at both the family and household stages, so the same phrase is used for both levels. The variant does not affect the overall meaning: the process narrowed stepwise until Achan was exposed. No other significant textual issues are noted by the supplied commentaries.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Joshua 7:16-18 has been read as a solemn instance of God’s omniscience and the seriousness of hidden sin. Matthew Henry (1710) emphasized the gradual uncovering: “God thus follows the sin step by step.” John Wesley (1754) noted the use of “family” in the singular as a collective term for all the families of Judah. In the Reformed tradition, the passage was often used to warn against secret disobedience and to affirm that God will “by some means or other bring sin to light” (Matthew Poole). The name “Achan” itself became proverbial for a troubler of the community, as reflected in 1 Chronicles 2:7 where he is called “Achar, the troubler of Israel.” Early church writers saw here a type of divine judgment that pointed to the need for a perfect sacrifice, a pattern fulfilled in Christ, who took the curse of the devoted thing upon Himself (Galatians 3:13).
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s method reveals what man cannot see. The stepwise lot, tribe, clan, household, man, shows that God uncovers hidden sin with perfect precision. There is no hiding from His sight.
- Sin is never private. Achan’s guilt brought defeat on all Israel. The process was public because the sin affected the whole community. Corporate holiness matters.
- Confession follows exposure. The narrative (vv. 19-21) shows Achan confessing only after the lot fell on him. God grants space for confession, but the process of exposure is relentless.
Five-point outline
- Appointed time. “Joshua rose up early”, obedience begins with urgency.
- Orderly process. Tribe → family → household → man. God works through structure, not chaos.
- Divine selection. The lot was not random; God sovereignly guided it (Proverbs 16:33).
- Personal accountability. The probe ends at a single individual: Achan. Sin is ultimately personal, no matter how corporate its effects.
- Hope for restoration. Once the “devoted thing” was removed, God turned from His anger (v. 26). Purification leads to renewed blessing.
Illustration hooks
- Security camera. A hidden camera reveals what was done in secret. The lot acted like a divine lens, exposing what no human eye saw.
- Funnel or sieve. Each step, tribe, family, household, narrows the search until only the guilty remains. God sifts through the whole community to reach one heart.
- Ripple effects of a hidden leak. In a ship, a small, unnoticed leak can sink the whole vessel. Achan’s hidden sin caused Israel’s defeat at Ai. God’s inspection found the breach.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does God really care about hidden sin today? Isn’t grace enough?”
- “Why did the whole nation suffer for one man’s sin? That seems unfair.”
- “Does God still use ‘lots’ to guide His people, or does the Holy Spirit lead us differently now?”
Leading a Discussion
Joshua 7:16-18 shows the unfolding process by which God exposed a hidden sin in Israel. The stepwise lot brought the guilty party to light, not to shame him alone, but to restore the holiness of the entire community. As you discuss this passage, consider how God’s methods reveal His character and His concern for His people.
Discussion questions
- What details strike you about Joshua’s actions in verses 16-18? Why does the text stress that he rose early and conducted the process step by step?
- How does the selection of the tribe of Judah first (rather than another tribe) inform your understanding of God’s search? What might it suggest about leadership and accountability?
- In what ways does the lot serve as a picture of God’s omniscience? How does this challenge our tendency to hide or minimize sin?
- Achan’s sin was “hidden” in his tent, but God knew. How does this truth shape your view of confession, both private and public?
- Why might God have chosen to expose the sin through a public, ceremonial process rather than simply telling Joshua (as He did in v. 10-11)? What does this say about community responsibility?
- How does this Old Testament story relate to the New Testament teaching that “your sin will be exposed” (Luke 12:2-3), and yet there is mercy in Christ (1 John 1:9)?
- What practical steps could your group take to maintain “corporate holiness”, not hiding sin but walking in the light together?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 22:3 | Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. |
| Joshua 3:1 | Joshua got up early in the morning; and they moved from Shittim and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel. They camped there before they crossed over. |
| Psalms 119:60 | I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments. |
| Ecclesiastes 9:10 | Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going. |
| Genesis 38:30 | Afterward his brother came out, who had the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah. |
| Numbers 26:20 | The sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites. |
| I Chronicles 2:4 | Tamar his daughter-in-law bore him Perez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. |
| I Chronicles 2:7 | The son of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed a trespass in the devoted thing. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights a textual problem in the selection process: the current Hebrew text omits the step "by households" while incorrectly repeating "man by man." He points out that the original reading is preserved in six Hebrew manuscripts and the Syriac version, which restore the proper four-step procedure.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains the step-by-step process by which the lot was narrowed from the whole nation down to Achan. The description also highlights two ancient methods of casting lots: throwing dice or drawing marked pieces from a vessel.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes highlight the careful, step-by-step process by which God exposed Achan's
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Joshua's early start showed his eagerness to obey God's command promptly. He explains the tribal selection happened by casting lots, possibly indicated by the high priest's breastplate stones growing dull for the guilty tribe. The repeated "taken" refers to the lot falling on that person or group.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the deliberate, step-by-step process by which the lot revealed the guilty party, moving from tribes down to one man. The slow unfolding of the discovery makes Achan's dread inevitable, as he watches the trap close on himself.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch defend the singular mishpach
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that the opening words reveal the sin of one man compromising the entire nation. God’s anger blazes against all Israel because Achan’s deed infects the whole community, which stands before God as a single organic body, not isolated individuals.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry notes that when Joshua urged Achan to confess, he called it giving glory to God. The point is that confession does more than admit wrongdoing; it honors the Lord by acknowledging His perfect justice and His knowledge of every hidden thing.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that "the family" may refer to a tribe or, more specifically, the heads of families within it. "Man by man" does not mean every individual, but rather the chief of each household or sub-family, as shown in other passages.