Bible Strands
Joshua 22:20
Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The leaders of Israel’s clans address the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh during a confrontation over their newly built altar. They invoke a past crisis to warn against rebellion.
The words — The Hebrew מָעַל (Ma'al) denotes the act of acting unfaithfully or committing treachery, while חֵרֶם (Cherem) refers to the devoted things set apart for destruction. These terms anchor the warning in the specific nature of the past violation.
The thread — This reference to Achan’s transgression echoes Joshua 7:1, Joshua 7:5, and Joshua 7:18, where his hidden theft of devoted items triggers divine wrath and military defeat for the entire nation. The narrative establishes corporate accountability for individual covenant violation.
Why it lands — The verse demands recognition that private disobedience disrupts communal standing before God. It requires immediate confession and alignment with covenant boundaries to prevent collective judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Cross-references
- 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.
- Joshua 7:5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarries and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1 Corinthians 10:6 These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
- 2 Peter 2:6 if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly;
- Jude 1:5 Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe.