Achan עָכָן
An Israelite who stole devoted things, causing Israel's defeat.
Who is Achan in the Bible?
Achan was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah who violated God's command by taking devoted things from the conquered city of Jericho, an act forbidden under the terms of holy war (Joshua 7:1). When Israel subsequently suffered an unexpected defeat at Ai, Joshua inquired of the Lord and discovered that Achan had stolen a beautiful cloak from Shinar along with silver and gold, which he hid in his tent (Joshua 7:19-21). After being identified through a process of elimination, Achan confessed his sin, but faced execution by stoning, along with his entire family, and their remains were burned (Joshua 7:24-25). The location of his death was named the Valley of Achor, meaning "trouble," and his story became a lasting warning to Israel about the consequences of unfaithfulness and disobedience to God's commands (Joshua 7:26, 22:20).
Biography
Achan was an Israelite from the tribe of Judah who violated God's command by taking devoted things from the conquered city of Jericho (Jos. 7:1). His sin caused Israel's defeat in the battle against Ai. When Joshua sought the Lord's guidance, God revealed that someone had stolen from the devoted things (Jos. 7:10-15).
Through a process of elimination, Achan was identified as the culprit (Jos. 7:16-18). He confessed to taking a beautiful cloak from Shinar, silver, and gold, hiding them in his tent (Jos. 7:19-21). As a result, Achan and his family were stoned to death, and their remains were burned (Jos. 7:24-25). The place where this occurred was named the Valley of Achor, meaning "trouble" (Jos. 7:26). Achan's sin and its consequences were remembered as a warning against unfaithfulness to God (Jos. 22:20).
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentJoshua 5 verses
- Joshua 7:1
"The Israelites, however, acted unfaithfully regarding the things devoted to destruction. Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart. So the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 7:18
"And 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."
Study Joshua → - Joshua 7:19
"So Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and make a confession to Him. I urge you to tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”"
Study Joshua → - Joshua 7:20
"“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:"
Study Joshua → - Joshua 7:24
"Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the cloak, the bar of gold, his sons and daughters, his oxen and donkeys and sheep, his tent, and everything else he owned, and brought them to the Valley of Achor."
Study Joshua →
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 2:7
"The son of Carmi: Achar, who brought trouble upon Israel by violating the ban on devoted things."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עָכָן |
| Spelled | Hebrew | עָכָר |
Achan
city of Jericho (Jos 7). The stem `akhan is not used in Hebrew except in this name. The stem `akhar has sufficient use to define it. It denotes trouble of the most serious kind--Jacob's trouble when his sons had brought him into blood feud with his Canaanite neighbors, or Jephthah's trouble when his vow required him to sacrifice his daughter (Ge 34:30; Jud 11:35). In Pr 11:17,29; 15:6,27) the word is used with intensity to describe the results of cruelty, disloyalty, greed, wickedness. The record especially speaks of Achan's conduct as the troubling of Israel (1Ch 2:7; Jos 6:18; 7:24). In an outburst of temper Jonathan speaks of Saul as having troubled the land (1Sa 14:29). Elijah and Ahab accuse each the other of being the troubler of Israel (1Ki 18:17,18). The stem also appears in the two proper names ACHOR and OCHRAN (which see).
The crime of Achan was a serious one. Quite apart from all questions of supposable superstition, or even religion, the cherem concerning Jericho had been proclaimed, and to disobey the proclamation was disobedience to military orders in an army that was facing the enemy. It is commonly held that Achan's family were put to death with him, though they were innocent; but the record is not explicit on these points. One whose habits of thought lead him to expect features of primitive savagery in such a case as this will be sure to find what he expects; a person of different habits will not be sure that the record says that any greater cruelty was practiced on the family of Achan than that of compelling them to be present at the execution. Those who hold that the Deuteronomic legislation comes in any sense from Moses should not be in haste to think that its precepts were violated by Joshua in the case of Achan (see De 24:16). The record says that the execution took place in the arable valley of Achor, up from the Jordan valley. See ACHOR.
Willis J. Beecher
a'-kar: Variant of ACHAN, which see.
a'-kaz (Achaz), the King James Version (Mt 1:9): Greek form of Ahaz (thus