Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Joshua Ch.7 / 24 Ch.s
JOS:7
* The Israelites smitten at Ai. (1-5) Joshua's humiliation and
prayer. (6-9) God instructs Joshua what to do. (10-5) Achan is
detected, He is destroyed. (16-26)
#1-5 Achan took some of the spoil of Jericho. The love of the
world is that root of bitterness, which of all others is most
hardly rooted up. We should take heed of sin ourselves, lest by
it many be defiled or disquieted, #Heb 12:15|; and take heed of
having fellowship with sinners, lest we share their guilt. It
concerns us to watch over one another to prevent sin, because
others' sins may be to our damage. The easy conquest of Jericho
excited contempt of the enemy, and a disposition to expect the
Lord to do all for them without their using proper means. Thus
men abuse the doctrines of Divine grace, and the promises of
God, into excuses for their own sloth and self-indulgence. We
are to work out our own salvation, though it is God that works
in us. It was a dear victory to the Canaanites, whereby Israel
was awakened and reformed, and reconciled to their God, and the
people of Canaan hardened to their own ruin.
#6-9 Joshua's concern for the honour of God, more than even for
the fate of Israel, was the language of the Spirit of adoption.
He pleaded with God. He laments their defeat, as he feared it
would reflect on God's wisdom and power, his goodness and
faithfulness. We cannot at any time urge a better plea than
this, Lord, what wilt thou do for thy great name? Let God be
glorified in all, and then welcome his whole will.
#10-15 God awakens Joshua to inquiry, by telling him that when
this accursed thing was put away, all would be well. Times of
danger and trouble should be times of reformation. We should
look at home, into our own hearts, into our own houses, and make
diligent search to find out if there be not some accursed thing
there, which God sees and abhors; some secret lust, some
unlawful gain, some undue withholding from God or from others.
We cannot prosper, until the accursed thing be destroyed out of
our hearts, and put out of our habitations and our families, and
forsaken in our lives. When the sin of sinners finds them out,
God is to be acknowledged. With a certain and unerring judgment,
the righteous God does and will distinguish between the innocent
and the guilty; so that though the righteous are of the same
tribe, and family, and household with the wicked, yet they never
shall be treated as the wicked.
#16-26 See the folly of those that promise themselves secrecy in
sin. The righteous God has many ways of bringing to light the
hidden works of darkness. See also, how much it is our concern,
when God is contending with us, to find out the cause that
troubles us. We must pray with holy Job, Lord, show me wherefore
thou contendest with me. Achan's sin began in the eye. He saw
these fine things, as Eve saw the forbidden fruit. See what
comes of suffering the heart to walk after the eyes, and what
need we have to make this covenant with our eyes, that if they
wander they shall be sure to weep for it. It proceeded out of
the heart. They that would be kept from sinful actions, must
mortify and check in themselves sinful desires, particularly the
desire of worldly wealth. Had Achan looked upon these things
with an eye of faith, he would have seen they were accursed
things, and would have dreaded them; but looking on them with an
eye of sense only, he saw them as goodly things, and coveted
them. When he had committed the sin, he tried to hide it. As
soon as he had got this plunder, it became his burden, and he
dared not to use his ill-gotten treasure. So differently do
objects of temptation appear at a distance, to what they do when
they have been gotten. See the deceitfulness of sin; that which
is pleasing in the commission, is bitter in the reflection. See
how they will be deceived that rob God. Sin is a very
troublesome thing, not only to a sinner himself, but to all
about him. The righteous God will certainly recompense
tribulation to them that trouble his people. Achan perished not
alone in his sin. They lose their own, who grasp at more than
their own. His sons and daughters were put to death with him. It
is probable that they helped to hide the things; they must have
known of them. What fatal consequences follow, even in this
world, to the sinner himself, and to all belonging him! One
sinner destroys much good. What, then, will be the wrath to
come? Let us flee from it to Christ Jesus as the sinner's
Friend. There are circumstances in the confession of Achan,
marking the progress of sin, from its first entrance into the
heart to its being done, which may serve as the history of
almost every offence against the law of God, and the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ.