Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
Joshua 7
Concise Complete
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)
Verses 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,
hebrews 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.
Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Verses 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.
Chapter 7:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
