Joshua 7:21 · Bible study
Joshua 7:21 Commentary: The Anatomy of Sin
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Achan's confession reveals the classic pattern of temptation: seeing, desiring, taking, hiding. A warning against covetousness and disobedience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Achan confesses the steps of his sin: seeing forbidden spoils, coveting them, taking them, and hiding them in his tent.
- Key words: “saw” (H7200 ra’ah), “coveted” (H2530 chamad), “hid” (H2934 taman).
- Main debate: The origin of the Babylonian garment, some suggest it came from an idol temple, others from the king of Jericho; the wedge of gold is understood as a tongue-shaped ingot, exact use unknown.
- Theological theme: Sin as a progression: desire leads to action, and action to concealment. The tenth commandment is violated in both its letter and spirit.
- Best use: A vivid sermon illustration of the anatomy of temptation, paired with James 1:14-15 (though not supplied here).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
When I saw among the plunder a beautiful Babylonian robe, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. Behold, they are hidden in the ground in the middle of my tent, with the silver under it.”
KJV King James Version 1769
When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
when I saw among the spoil a goodly Babylonish mantle, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and I see among the spoil a goodly robe of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and one wedge of gold, whose weight is fifty shekels, and I desire them, and take them; and lo, they are hid in the earth, in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
I saw among the spoils a beautiful mantle of Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a golden bar of fifty shekels weight, and I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
For I saw among the spoils a scarlet garment, exceeding good, and two hundred sicles of silver, and a golden rule of fifty sicles: and I coveted them, and I took them away, and hid them in the ground in the midst of my tent, and the silver I covered with the earth that I dug up.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Que vi entre los despojos un manto babilónico muy bueno, y doscientos siclos de plata, y un changote de oro de peso de cincuenta siclos; lo cual codicié, y tomé: y he aquí que está escondido debajo de tierra en el medio de mi tienda, y el dinero debajo de ello.
Que vi entre os despojos um manto babilônico muito bom, e duzentos siclos de prata, e uma barra de ouro de peso de cinquenta siclos; o qual cobicei, e tomei: e eis que está escondido debaixo da terra no meio de minha tenda, e o dinheiro debaixo dele.
J’ ai vu dans le butin un beau manteau de Schinear, deux cents sicles d’ argent, et un lingot d’ or du poids de cinquante sicles; je les ai convoités, et je les ai pris; ils sont cachés dans la terre au milieu de ma tente, et l’ argent est dessous.
ich sah unter dem Raub einen köstlichen babylonischen Mantel und zweihundert Silberlinge und eine goldene Stange, fünfzig Lot am Gewicht; des gelüstete mich, und ich nahm es. Und siehe es ist verscharrt in die Erde in meiner Hütte und das Silber darunter.
Want ik zag onder den roof een schoon sierlijk Babylonisch overkleed, en tweehonderd sikkelen zilvers, en een gouden tong, welker gewicht was vijftig sikkelen; en ik kreeg lust daartoe, en ik nam ze; en zie, zij zijn verborgen in de aarde, in het midden mijner tent, en het zilver daaronder.
Ho veduto fra le spoglie un bel mantello di Scinear, duecento sicli d’argento e una verga d’oro del peso di cinquanta sicli; ho bramato quelle cose, le ho prese; ecco, son nascoste in terra in mezzo alla mia tenda; e l’argento è sotto”.
Widziałem między łupy płaszcz babiloński jeden, piękny, i dwieście syklów srebra, i pręt złoty jeden, pięćdziesiąt syklów ważący, i pożądałem tego, i wziąłem to, a oto, te rzeczy są zakopane w ziemi, w pośród namiotu mego, a srebro pod niemi.
между добычею увидел я одну прекрасную Сеннаарскую одежду и двести сиклей серебра и слиток золота весом в пятьдесят сиклей; это мне полюбилось и я взял это; и вот, оно спрятано в земле среди шатра моего, и серебро под ним [спрятано].
我在所奪的財物中 看見 一件 美好的 示拿 衣服，二百 舍客勒 銀子，一 條 金子 重 五十 舍客勒，我就貪愛這些物件，便拿去了。現今 藏 在我帳棚 內 的地裡，銀子 在衣服底下。」
When I saw among their goods a fair robe of Babylon and two hundred shekels of silver, and a mass of gold, fifty shekels in weight, I was overcome by desire and took them; and they are put away in the earth in my tent, and the silver is under it.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Joshua 7:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse lays out the distinctive progression of sin with unusual clarity. Wesley notes that Achan “accurately describes the progress of his sin, which began at his eye…inflamed his desire, and made him covet them; and that desire made him take them; and having taken, resolve to keep them; and to that end hide them in his tent.” The language mirrors the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17) and the specific prohibition in Deuteronomy 7:25 against coveting the silver or gold on idols. The “goodly Babylonish garment” (literally “a mantle of Shinar”) is identified as a costly, elaborately decorated robe, likely of royal origin (Barnes, Gill). The “wedge of gold” (literally “a tongue of gold”) was a tongue-shaped ingot or ornament. Achan’s tripartite loot, garment, silver, gold, represented the choicest spoils of Jericho, all of which were under the ban as devoted to God. The confession itself is straightforward and uncontested in the commentaries: seeing led to coveting, coveting to taking, taking to hiding.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse transparently describes the progression from seeing to coveting to taking and hiding, illustrating how sin works.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Progression of sin | Commentators universally recognize the verse as outlining a clear pattern: seeing, coveting, taking, hiding. | None significant; the sequence is straightforward and undisputed among the sources. |
| Connection to the tenth commandment | Most commentaries note the verbal echo of Exodus 20:17 and Deuteronomy 7:25, linking covetousness to theft. | Some emphasize the specific prohibition against coveting idolatrous spoils (Deut 7:25); others see it as a general warning against any forbidden desire. |
| Nature of the Babylonian garment | It was a valuable, colorful robe from the region of Shinar (Babylonia). | Clarke and others discuss whether it was woven in patterns or embroidered; and whether it originally belonged to a king or was used in idol worship. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of Jericho had been placed under the herem, the ban of utter destruction, before its fall (Joshua 6:17-19). All silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron were to go into the treasury of the Lord; everything else was to be burned. Achan took what belonged to God alone: a Babylonian garment, silver, and a wedge of gold.
The “goodly Babylonian garment” was a product of the ancient textile industry of Shinar, the plain where Babel was built (Genesis 10:10). Such robes were woven or embroidered with multiple colors and figures, highly prized in the ancient Near East. Clarke, citing Pliny and other classical sources, notes that Babylon was famous for interweaving different colors into figured patterns. Barnes and the Cambridge Bible mention that similar robes were worn by kings on state occasions (Jonah 3:6) and by prophets (1 Kings 19:13). This particular garment may have belonged to the king of Jericho.
The “wedge of gold” (literally “a tongue of gold”) was an ingot or object shaped like a tongue, weighing fifty shekels, approximately twenty-five ounces. The silver was 200 shekels in weight, not coin; money was still paid by weight. Achan hid these items in the ground inside his tent, with the silver placed at the bottom, then the gold wedge, and the robe on top (Keil and Delitzsch). The hiding place in the middle of his tent suggests a deliberate attempt to conceal the sin from both human eyes and, as if possible, from God’s.
Textual Notes
The consulted commentaries note no significant textual variants for Joshua 7:21. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the translations show only minor lexical differences (e.g., “robe,” “mantle,” “garment”).
Reception History
Throughout church history, Joshua 7:21 has been used to illustrate the theology of sin’s progression. Preachers like Matthew Henry and John Wesley drew from this verse the moral that sin begins with the eye and the heart before it manifests in action. The verse has also been employed in discussions of the Old Testament ban (herem) and the seriousness of violating God’s exclusive claims. In liturgical contexts, it has served as a reading for seasons of repentance, reminding believers that hidden sins are not hidden from God. The early church writer Origen saw Achan’s defeat as a type of the soul’s fall when it yields to worldly desires.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The gaze. It all began when Achan “saw among the spoils” a beautiful garment, silver, and gold. The eye was the gateway to desire.
- The grasp. From seeing came coveting, and from coveting came taking. He actively chose to seize what God had forbidden.
- The grave. He hid the items in the ground, attempting to bury his sin. But hidden things are never hidden from God.
Five-point outline
- Seeing. Achan’s eyes lingered on items that were under the ban. The same word for “saw” is used in Genesis 3:6 of Eve.
- Coveting. The Hebrew verb chamad (desired) is the very word of the tenth commandment (Exodus 20:17) and of Deuteronomy 7:25’s warning against the spoils of idols.
- Taking. Desire moved to action. He “took them”, a deliberate, culpable act.
- Hiding. He dug a hole in his tent floor, covered the items, and hoped no one would know. Sin always seeks concealment.
- Confession. When found out, Achan made a full confession. Yet the consequences remained; the pattern serves as a warning.
Illustration hooks
- A person shops at a store, sees an item they cannot afford, and slips it into their bag when no one is looking. The sequence is identical: see, desire, take, hide.
- An employee discovers an error in their favor on a paycheck and decides not to report it. They rationalize, cover their tracks, and hope it never surfaces.
- A student finds a test bank for an exam online. They think “no one will know” and copy the answers. Later, the academic integrity office investigates.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God already knew about the sin, why did Achan have to confess before the community?
- What does this verse teach about the connection between what we see and what we desire? How can we guard our eyes?
- Was the punishment (stoning and burning) too harsh for a first-time offense? How do we reconcile divine justice with mercy?
Leading a Discussion
Achan’s confession in Joshua 7:21 is a rare moment of honest self‑disclosure in Scripture. He names exactly what he took and describes the inner steps that led to his fall. As you read the verse together, notice how one glance led to a chain of events that affected an entire nation.
Discussion questions
- What items did Achan take, and why were they forbidden (see Joshua 6:18-19)?
- Trace the sequence of verbs: saw, coveted, took, hid. What does each step reveal about how sin develops?
- The Hebrew word for “coveted” (chamad) appears in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:17) and in Deuteronomy 7:25. Why does the Old Testament consistently warn against this desire?
- Achan hid the items “in the ground in the middle of my tent.” What does the act of hiding tell us about the nature of sin?
- Contrast Achan’s confession with Adam and Eve’s response in Genesis 3:12-13. What differences do you see in their willingness to admit fault?
- Where in your own life do you find the pattern of “seeing, coveting, taking” at work? What steps can help interrupt the cycle early?
- How does the community’s involvement in Achan’s punishment (the whole nation suffered) challenge our view of personal and corporate responsibility?
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 3:6 | When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took some of its fruit, and ate. Then she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate it, too. |
| Genesis 6:2 | God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives. |
| Genesis 10:10 | The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. |
| Exodus 20:17 | “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” |
| Deuteronomy 7:25 | You shall burn the engraved images of their gods with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourself, lest you be snared in it; for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God. |
| II Samuel 11:2 | At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at. |
| II Samuel 11:6 | David sent to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” Joab sent Uriah to David. |
| II Samuel 11:17 | The men of the city went out and fought with Joab. Some of the people fell, even of David’s servants; and Uriah the Hittite died also. |
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
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke emphasizes that the "goodly Babylonish garment" was likely the king of Jericho's royal robe, based on a similar use in Jonah. Drawing from ancient sources, he notes these robes were famously splendid, woven or embroidered with colorful figures, and therefore both beautiful and costly, which explains why Achan coveted it.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that Achan's stolen items were not rare luxuries in Canaan: the Babylonian robe was a common trade good from the East, and the gold wedge was a standard tongue-shaped ingot weighing about twenty-five ounces. He notes that the mantle would naturally have been placed on top to conceal the other loot.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the "Babylonish garment" was a long, richly embroidered robe worn by kings and prophets, pointing to an established trade between Canaan and Mesopotamia. The "wedge of gold" literally means a tongue of gold, possibly a tongue-shaped jewel. The mantle lay on top, then the gold, and the silver beneath.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
I sawe among the spoyle a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundreth shekels of siluer, and a wedge of golde of fiftie shekels weight, and I coueted them, and tooke them: and behold, they lye hid in the earth in the mids of my tent, and the siluer vnder it.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill takes special care identifying Achan's loot, noting the Babylonish garment may have been a royal robe or even an idol's covering, and that the gold wedge was shaped like a tongue and weighed fifty shekels. He then stresses that Achan's eyes first coveted the items, which led to taking them, and he specifies how they were concealed: the gold wrapped inside the garment, with the silver lying beneath them in the tent.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the luxuriousness of Achan's loot: the robe from Shinar was a brilliantly colored, patterned mantle like a Turkish carpet, and the silver was worth a substantial sum. He also notes the gold was not a coin but an ingot shaped like a tongue.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch identifies the "tongue of gold" as a tongue-shaped golden ornament, not a dagger as some suppose, weighing a substantial 50 shekels. They describe the Babylonish cloak as an expensive, artistically worked garment from Babylon, and note that Achan hid these items underground inside his tent, with the silver placed beneath them.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange stresses that Achan's sin compromises the whole community because Israel is an organic unity, not a collection of isolated individuals. God's anger is not blind passion but holy displeasure against unrighteousness, and it falls on the entire nation until the devoted thing is removed.
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 traces the specific progress of Achan's sin: first the eye lingered, then desire inflamed, then he took and hid the goods. He also clarifies that the Babylonish garment was an expensive, multi-colored cloth, and the silver was measured by weight, not coin, and wrapped inside the garment.