A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
JOſhua the ſeventh contains an Account of Achan's Sacrliedge, deſcribed in three parts. (1.) How it was Committed, verſ. 1. (2.) How it was Detected, verſ. 2. to 23. (3.) How it was Puniſhed, verſ. 24.25, 26.
The firſt Part affords theſe Remarks.
The Firſt Remark is, That the Sin of one Man, or of a few Men may be attributed to the whole Congregation: [The Children of Iſrael are ſaid to have ſinned] when one Man only had done ſo, ver. 1. Reaſons hereof be, becauſe (1.) This does ſhow how hateful to God ſin is, how hurtful to Men it is alſo. (2.) The Body Politick, like the Body Natural, doth Communicate one Member with another, both in Joys and Griefs, as the Head and Heart are Affected or Afflicted with the Weal or Woe of Hands, Feet, &c. (3.) All are here involved, that all the Members (of Church or State) may learn not only to be ſolicitous each for himſelf, but alſo one for another, Levit. 19.17. every Man is bound to be his Brother's Keeper (Gen. 4.9. wicked Cain will not be ſo,) for the advantage and weal of the whole Body. (4.) Becauſe one ſinner may deſtroy much good, Eccleſ. 9.18. as Achan did here, till his Sin was puniſh'd, and ſo put away by the People whom the Lord did juſtly correct for the neglect of their Duty. Beſides, they were ſuch a People as could not want grievous Sins of their own, for which God now puniſh'd them, or divers of them might ſin by coveting with their Minds, what Achan acted with his Hands, or by concealing it, and not mourning for it and endeavouring to purge themſelves from this fault, which probably was known to others, &c.
The Second Remark is, The Deſcription of this Sinner; (1.) By his Name, Achan here is call'd Achar, (which ſigniſies to trouble) 1 Chron. 2.7. becauſe he was a troubler of Iſrael, as Joſhua call'd him, verſ. 25. (2.) By his Pedigree, he was Nobly deſcended from the Tribe of Judah, verſ. 1. yet became he a foul ſtain to his fair Anceſtors, whereby a good caution is given to all Parents for the moſt careful Education of their Children in God's fear, that they may not prove a diſhonour to them when they are Dead. (3.) By his Temper, which the Tempter well knew to be Covetous, he felt his Pulſe, ſo fitted him a Pennyworth ſuitable to his Temper. Now this Covetous Temper was the worſe in Achan, becauſe he had Oxen, Aſſes, Sheep, and a Tent well furniſhed with goods, ver. 24. and therefore he had leſs need to covet Conſecrated Goods.
The Third Remark is, The Narrative of his Sin: Namely, his taking of the Accurſed thing, verſ. 1. there in General, but ver. 21. 'tis confeſs'd by himſelf more diſtinctly in particular, ſhewing the Progreſs and Gradation of it: As, (1.) It began at his Eyes, (having made no Covenant with them, as Job did with his, Job 31.1.) He firſt looked at liberty upon thoſe glittering Objects, the Wedge of Gold, the Babyloniſh Garment, &c. Then (2.) He luſted after them, his Concupiſcence did covet them, when it was inflam'd by the Burning-Glaſs of his Eyes. (3.) That Covetouſneſs (call'd the Luſt of the Eyes, 1 Joh. 2.16.) puts him upon actual taking them as his own, which was a Sacrilegious Stealing from God againſt his expreſs Command, Joſh. 6.18, 19. And (4.) His hiding them in his Tent, that he might convert them to his own private uſe.
The ſecond Part, How Achan's ſin was diſcovered, wherein thoſe Remarks are, As,
Firſt, The occaſion of its Diſcovery, which was Iſrael's warring againſt Ai without ſucceſs (as they had againſt Jericho) but on the contrary with Slaughter and Flight, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5. there was an over-ruling hand of God's Providence, that Joſhua ſhould follow the direction of the Spyes, (ſent to view Ai) in ſending only 3000 Men againſt ſo ſtrong a City wherein there were far more Valiant Men to defend it, than thoſe were that came againſt it, aſſuredly the eaſe of Iſrael's Army was more conſulted than their ſafety herein: At firſt ſight it ſeemed greater policy to have ſent the whole Army, and not ſo ſmall a Squadron; but God's Holy Hand was in it, and his Holy Will muſt be done and ſuffered: God's Deſign was, that this Forlorn Hope ſhould be defeated, and thereby Achan's Sin (that was yet ſecret) might be detected: Oh Divine Chymiſtry, God never ſuffers evil to be, but he knows how to extract the greateſt good out of the greateſt evil: God had withdrawn himſelf and his Spirit of Courage from thoſe 3000 Men (becauſe of Achan's Sin) that they, being now diſpirited, very probably did not endure the firſt brunt of the Battel, but fled away at their Enemies firſt Approach and Aſſault. Seeing theſe Iſraelites that were ſlain, are ſaid to be ſmitten not in Fight, but in Flight, ver. 5. this ſmall diſcomfiture proved a great diſcouragement, it cauſed a conſternation among the People, ver. 5. and among the Grandees alſo, ver. 6. becauſe they ſaw that God was diſpleaſed, and for this time departed alſo: Hereupon Joſhua rent his Cloaths, ver. 7. in token that his heart was rent with grief, and expoſtulates the caſe with God; to verſ. 10.
The Second Remark is, The Author of the Diſcovery of Achan's Sin, to wit, God himſelf in anſwer to Joſhua's Praying and Faſting, God will be found of ſuch as thus ſeek him in truth, verſ. 10.11. God tells Joſhua, Iſrael had ſinned, therefore could they not ſtand in Batttl, ver. 12. then God preſcribes (1.) The means of finding out the Sacrilegious Perſon, ver. 13, 14. and (2.) The puniſhment to be inflicted upon him, ver. 15. behold how God aggravates Achan's Sin by the ſeveral Circumſtances of it, ver. 11. this Achan ſhould have done, and thus we ſhould do, Levit. 16.21. and ſo prevent the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.31. behold God's mercy at one time that he was but ſix days in making the World, yet took ſix days to deſtroy Jericho, giving them that time wherein to Repent, and laſtly behold God's Juſtice at another time, that he who would for the ſake of Ten Righteous Men, have ſpared five wicked Cities, Gen. 18.32. yet will not be content here to drown in Oblivion this one Sin of Achan, notwithſtanding the many Righteous ones that made up the Church of God in Joſhua's Day.
The Third Remark from the ſecond Part is, The manner how Aehan was found out, as by an ordinary Proceſs at Law to be the grand Sinner. In this Judiciary proceeding obſerve,
Firſt, The Inqueſt, enquiry is made after the ſinner by caſting Lots (as by an Hue and Cry) ver. 16, 17, 18. Though the Lord had ſaid [I will be with you no more] ver. 12. yet when they had ſanctified themſelves (both legally and ſpiritually, for he will be Sanctified of all them that draw nigh to him, Levit. 10.3.) the Lord returns now, and draweth nigh to them, in this his Ordinance of casting Lots, which is wholly at God's diſpoſal, Prov. 16.33. whereas the Lord could at the firſt have pointed out this ſinner by Name, yet was it his pleaſure to proceed in this method, that by this gradual proceeding he might convince Achan of his ſin, and bring him to a timely Repentance and Confeſſion of it, or at leaſt leave him the more inexcuſable: Nor doth the Lord uſually in the paſſages of his Providence act immediately by himſelf, but uſeth Men and Means as Inſtruments to ſerve his Providence, and to joyn Humane Endeavours for the effecting of his Divine Works as he doth here, and Joſhua here, calling all the Tribes of Iſrael together, for the finding out of one Man, is a Type of our bleſſed Joſhua, or Jeſus, who at the laſt day, will call all the Families of the Earth together, out of them a ſmall number ſhall be deducted that have heard of Chriſt, out of them, thoſe that have profeſſed Chriſt, and out of them, thoſe that have profeſſed him in ſincerity, having not only the form of Godlineſs, but the power alſo, 2 Tim. 3.5, which Chriſt calls foreign, a little, little Flock, Luke 12.32. a very ſmall few doubtleſs: As no Saint ſhall be loſt by him, Joh. 6.39. and 17.12. ſo no ſinner can poſſibly lurch him (who knoweth all things, Joh. 21.17, &c.) every individual Sinner ſhall then be found out by his own Sin, Numb. 32.23.) much more by the ſearcher of all hearts, Act. 1.24. at the day of Judgment, as Achan was f…d out here by Lot.
Secondly obſerve here, The Examination of the ſinner when the Inqueſt had found him out, ver. 19. wherein Joſhua the Judge (1.) Uſeth a candid Compellation to him (calling him my Son) to ſhew reſpect to his Perſon, and that he was not giving judgment againſt him out of any Rage or Revenge. But (2.) his aim was only God's Glory and Iſrael's Peace. And (3.) ſays, Hide not thy Fact from me, thou canſt not hide it (as thou ſeeſt) from an All ſeeing God, who hath diſcover'd thee to be the ſinner by his lot. To confeſs ſin is the way to find mercy, Prov. 28.13. 1 John 1.9. &c.
Thirdly obſerve here Achan's Confeſſion, (1.) In its form, which is either General, ver. 20. or ſpecial and particular, ver. 21. And (2.) The Adjunct thereof, the truth of what Achan confeſs'd, was really confirmed, ver. 22, 23. leaſt any of his Friends ſhould imagine his Confeſſion was forced from him. Hence
Note the Firſt is, See how Satan had Gagg'd Achan, and had hardned his heart by that deceitful ſin of curſed Covetouſneſs, the poiſonful property whereof is to change Mens Hearts into Earth and Mud, and afterward to congeal and freeze them into an Icy Flint, and Adamant; for though the Lord in diſpoſing of the Lots to diſcover the Sacrilege came nearer, and nearer Achan at every ſtep. (1.) The Lord by Lot took his Tribe of Judah. (2.) His Family of the Zarhites. And (3.) his Houſhold of Zabdi, before that Houſhold were call'd forth Man by Man to take himſelf, ver. 16, 17, 18. Yet all this while Achan's Conſcience awaketh not, he Repenteth not, he Confeſſeth not his fault. Satan knoweth that the Sin-ſick Soul hath no way to purge, or exonerate it ſelf but upwards (Confeſſion being its Spiritual Vomit.) He therefore holdeth the Lips cloſe ſo long as he can, that the Heart may have no vent to disburden it ſelf.
The Second Note hence is, No Perſon ſhould dare to ſin in hope of Secreſie; for no ſin can be ſecret to an Omniſcient God, 2 Chron. 16.9. Pſal. 139. 2, 3, 4, &c. to 14. Heb. 4.13, &c. As the Guilt of Sin will haunt the moſt ſecret Sinner like a Bloud-hound at his Heels, and the puniſhment thereof will purſue and overtake him, Numb. 32.23. So 'tis God's great work to bring to light the moſt hidden things of Darkneſs. 1 Cor. 4.5. our ſecret Sins are in the light of God's Countenance, Pſal. 90.8. therefore did David defire to be purged from them, Pſal. 19.12. Nothing is ſo ſecret, but it ſhall be made manifeſt, &c. Luke 8.17. Some Mens ſins are open beforehand, going before to Judgment, and others do follow after, 1 Tim. 5.24. Whoſo hideth his ſin, ſhall not proſper, Prov. 28.13. Achan hides his Sin ſo long as he could with his ſtolen ſtuff in his Tent, but at laſt all comes to light, nor did he proſper, becauſe he put God to the proof of it, as thoſe Miſcreants did, Jer. 2.35.
The Third Note is, 'Tis the Opinion of ſome Learned Authors, that Achan Dyed a true Penitent, and ſo eſcaped eternal Damnation, becauſe he ſeems to make a Sincere and Ingenuous Confeſſion, and loads his ſin with all loathſome, yet juſt Aggravations, ver. 19, 20. wherein he judgeth himſelf to have ſinned againſt the Glorious Attributes, and expreſs Commands of that God, who had choſen him and all Iſrael, to be the peculiar People of his Care and Love, ſo was not to be judged unto Condemnation, 1 Cor. 11.31, 32. this is the judgment of the Jewiſh Rabbins, that he both by his Confeſſion and by his Death (whereby he ſatisfied the Law) obtained mercy from the Lord; but the Scripture being ſilent in this point, and joyns forſaking with Confeſſing for finding favour, Prov. 28.13. He muſt ſtand or fall to his own Maſter, Rom. 14.4.) this may probably be ſaid of him, that he had an hope his Soul might live after his Body was dead, for by what other hope could this Man be brought to confeſs ſuch a Capital Crime as this, for which he was ſure to die? If he had not Some hope in his Death, as Solomon ſaith concerning the Righteous, Prov. 14.32.
The Third Part is, How Achan was puniſh'd for his Sins. Remarks upon this are,
Firſt, The Place and the Name of it, ver. 24. the place of the Puniſhment was the Valley of Achor, which ſignifies Trouble, ſo called by Anticipation, becauſe not only all Iſrael was troubled here for Achan's Sacriledge, but alſo himſelf and all his were troubled here with a double trouble expreſſed, ver. 15. and 25. this Valley was nigh to Jericho, and was fertile, fat, and full of Vines, Iſa. 65.10. 'Tis thought to be the ſame with Engedi, oft mentioned in the Canticles, and it was an Inlet into Canaan, call'd therefore a door of Hope, Hoſ. 2.15. becauſe here Iſrael began to eat firſt the fruits of the Promiſed Land, whereof this Valley was a Pledge and Earneſt, aſſoon as they had removed the Accurſed thing from them, &c. Accordingly the firſt fruits and earnest of the Spirit given to us, breedeth an aſſured hope of the Harveſt of Happineſs, and of the whole bargain of Salvation by Chriſt: This Valley of trouble is not a place to abide long in, but is an Inlet to Mercy. and Hope ſets us upon Piſgah, giving a proſpect of Heaven (as Moſes had of Canaan) as it is the evidence of things not ſeen, Hebr. 11.1.
The Second Remark, is, The Puniſhment it ſelf, which is double. (1.) To be ſtoned with Stones. And (2.) To be burned with Fire, ver. 15. and 25.
Firſt, Stoning with Stones, was the Puniſhment appointed for Preſumptuous Offenders, and for Blaſphemers by the Law, Levit. 24.14. Numb. 15.30.35. every Preſumptuous Sinner is a kind of a Blaſphemer, Ezek. 20.27. whoſe Sin is not to be expiated by Sacrifice. And
Secondly, Burning with Fire, the Law likewiſe appointed for thoſe Perſons and things that were Accurſed, Gen. 38.24. Levit. 21.9. Deut. 13.16. and ſo notorious was Achan's ſin, that it ſeems here to be doomed to a double Death, therefore is it aggravated as folly in Iſrael, ver. 15. So Sin is oft called in Scripture, Gen. 34.7. Judg. 20.6, and 2 Sam. 13.12. all intimating, that Sin is the baſeſt, moſt ſenceleſs, and fooliſh Deed, it is folly in the Abſtract, as it is a turning from God the greateſt Good, and a turning to that which is the greateſt evil, and that [in Iſrael] too, among the People of God, who had ſuch excellent Laws to direct them, and ſuch an All-ſufficient God to provide for them, as he had done for Achan, to whom the Lord had given Sons and Daughters, Oxen, Aſſes, and Sheep, together with a well furniſh'd Tent, ver. 24. therefore having no colour of neceſſity to induce him unto this folly, a double Doom is upon him.
The Third Remark is, The Perſons and Things thus doomed and executed, were, (1.) Achan and his Accomplices, that is, his Sons and Daughters, which were part of his Goods, together with (2.) all his other Goods, Animate and Inanimate, both thoſe that God had given him by his Providence, and thoſe that he had taken to himſelf by a Sacrilegious ſtealth, even he, and all that he had, ver. 15.24.
Objection 1. But this Doom ſeems hard and unjuſt, if not abſurd, as it is doubled, no perſon could be both Stoned to death, and Burnt to death too.
Anſw. 1. There is no doubt concerning Achan's deſerving this double Doom; for he committed his Sacriledge moſt probably upon the Sabbath-Day, (which was the Seventh Day, wherein Iſrael compaſs'd Jericho ſeven times and took the City) ſo he was a Sabbath breaker, and therefore to be ſtoned, Numb. 15.32.36. and God doom'd him to be burnt, becauſe he was a Sacrilegious ſinner, ſtealing things from God himſelf, as they were devoted to God by a Curſe, and all Accurſed things were doomed to be burned, Deut. 13.16. This was God's Doom upon Achan, Joſh. 7.15. and executed by Joſhua, ver. 25. yet may not we ſuppoſe that he was burnt alive, but it was only his Carcaſe after he had been ſtoned, for that was a burning in common with all the Goods he had both ſtoln and unſtoln, which were lifeleſs things: Or he might (as ſome ſay) be firſt burnt alive, and then ſaid to be ſtoned, when the People raiſed over his Aſhes a great heap of Stones, as 'tis ſaid, ver. 26. as was done upon the King of Ai, Joſh. 8.29. and upon Abſolom, 2 Sam. 18.17.
Anſw. 2. The doubt is greater about the Juſtice and equity of this Doom, than is about the Abſurdity of it, becauſe his Sons and his Daughters die with him for his Sin, which is contrary to that Law [Children ſhall not be put to Death for their Fathers ſin, &c.] Deut. 24.16. But we muſt conſider,
Firſt, That Law was given to Man, and not to God, who certainly hath a greater Soveraignty, and a more abſolute power over Men, than one Man hath over another. There can be no Injuſtice in God, whoſe Will is not only Recta but Regula, both right and the Rule of Right. He puniſhes the Iniquity of Fathers upon their Children, Exod. 20.5. He may do what he will with his own, Matth. 20.15. he is not bound to give an Account to us for his doings, Job 33.13. none may ſay to God [What doſt thou?] Much leſs than to a King, Eccleſ. 8 4. 'tis not ſafe for ſilly Man (of a ſhallow Mind) to reprehend the Works of God, which he cannot comprehend, &c.
Secondly, 'Tis not improbable but thoſe Sons and Daughters were Acceſſories, as Achan was principal, in the ſin, for Achan being now old as being the fifth from Judah, ſee ver. 1. his Sons and Daughters muſt likely be grown up, and ſo capable of knowing, and concealing or revealing this Fact, they living in the ſame Tent with their Father, nor are they call'd [Children] much leſs [Infants] nor doth it follow, that they were not guilty, becauſe it is not ſaid ſo. For divers Circumſtances are omitted in Scripture-History, which ſometimes are ſupplyed from other places: Hereunto add, the Rabbi-Talmudists do rationally affirm that they muſt be conſcious of their Fathers Fact, for he could not dig, and hide thoſe Accurſed things in the Tent wherein they dwelt, but moſt eaſily muſt they know of it.
Thirdly conſider, Theſe Sons and Daughters might not die ſimply for their Father's ſins, but only paid that Debt of Nature and of their own ſins, which Debt God (the Supream Lord) might require when and how he pleaſed, and now they died honourably thus far, that this ſeverity upon them at the beginning of this new erected Empire, might be ſo in terrorem to after Ages, as to prevent the Death of Millions that would beware of ſuch pernicious Practices by their dreadful Example, whom if the fear of God did not, yet the love of their own Lives, and of their dear Childrens Lives, would powerfully reſtrain them. Aliorum perditio poſterorum fiat cautio. Their direful Woe, was a warning to Poſterity.
Objection 2. As to the things (2dly.) that periſhed with Achan, ſeems not this a cruelty to the Creature, that Sheep, Oxen, and Aſſes, &c. which were not capable of ſinning, nor of puniſhment properly ſo called, becauſe they cannot ſin, which is the cauſe procuring it?
Anſw. 1. Though God's Judgments be often unſearchable and above the reach of Man's reaſon, yet are they always Just and Righteous, Gen. 18.25. Jer. 12.1. Pſal. 145.17. God's Judgments both upon the Perſons and upon the things here, muſt be Juſt. No Iniquity is found in God.
Anſw. 2. Thoſe Animate things (thus doom'd to be burned) were made for Man's uſe, and ſuch Creatures, as Sheep and Oxen, are daily killed for Man's Food, and therefore it ſhould not ſeem ſtrange, if they be killed for Man's Good, and for the Inſtruction of his mind, namely, that Man may know, that ſuch is the deteſtable and contagious nature of ſin, as it involves innocent Creatures in its Plagues and Puniſhments: The very Inſtruments of ſin are accurſed.
Anſw. 3. Hence none can doubt of the Doom concer…ing the Inanimate things that were burned, ſuch as the dig, Spade, &c. which were Inſtruments Achan uſed in his Act of ſinful hiding the Accurſed Goods, much leſs of the Juſtneſs in burning the ſtolen ſtuff, as the Babyloniſh Garment, &c. Aſſuredly it is highly deſireable (as well as juſt) that all the Babyloniſh Garments in the World were burned: This undoubtedly the Lord will do, the Whore of Babylon and all her Vestments will be burnt together. To conclude. Junius's Note is excellent here, ſaying, In the Perſons God Condemn'd the Contagion of Conſcience, but in the things, he Condemn'd the Inſtruments of Contagion: Beſides from theſe premiſes may we learn this Divine Leſſon, That if the very Goods (which God gives us for our good) both Animate and Inanimate, be ſo liable to Puniſhments for our ſins, how much more are we, (to whom God hath given his Holy Laws, and that excellent Gift of Reaſon to reſtrain us from tranſgreſſing that Law) guilty of greater Provocations, and ſo liable to more unexpreſſible, and the ſevereſt Sufferings, &c. God hangs up ſome in Gibbets as it were, for publick Example to others; the deſtruction of others, ſhould be a terrour unto us, that we may waſh our Feet in the Blood of the Wicked, Pſal. 52.6. worthily are they made Examples, that will not take them. Auſtin ſaith well, ſome wicked God puniſhes here, leaſt his Providence, but not all, leaſt his Patience and Promiſe of Judgment ſhould be call'd into Question. Thoſe few God puniſhes here, are for our Example and Admonition, 1 Cor. 10.6.11. 'Tis a juſt preſage and deſert of our own Ruine not to be warned by the Ruine of others.
The Laſt Remark upon this Seventh Chapter, ver. 26. is, The effect of all the aforeſaid Impartial Adminiſtration of Juſtice upon Achan, &c. which was this, the People of God are Reconciled to God, when they had executed his Juſt Commands, and when they had ſet up a Monument of Stone for a laſting Memorial of Man's Sin, and of God's Judgment for that ſin, and that they all might be warned not to commit the like ſin, when their new erected Empire ſhould be farther advanced into a proſperous Conqueſt of the Land of Canaan, and that none might dare to retard it, as Achan had done, who by his foul fault and folly, had already expoſed Thirty and ſix Soldiers to the Slaughter, ver. 5. that were innocent of Achan's Sacriledge, though for their own ſins (known to God) they had juſtly deſerved to die at that time, and in that way. After this Iſrael went on without any Obſtruction in Conquering Canaan.