Joshua 7:20

“It is true,” Achan replied, “I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I did:

BSB

Parallel translations

4 additional translations

▾

KJV

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

ASV

And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Of a truth I have sinned against Jehovah, the God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:

YLT

And Achan answereth Joshua, and saith, `Truly I have sinned against Jehovah, God of Israel, and thus and thus I have done;

DBT

And Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against Jehovah theGod of Israel, and thus and thus have I done.

⋯

Commentary voices

loading…

Voices7

On this verse

But human habits have so long applied themselves to this admiration of money that no one is thought worthy of honor unless he is rich. This is no new habit. No, this vice (and that makes the matter worse) grew long years ago in human hearts. When the city of Jericho fell at the sound of the priests' trumpets and Joshua the son of Nun gained the victory, he knew that the valor of the people was weakened through love of money and desire for gold.

Ambrose of Milan· On the Duties of the Clergy 2.26.129, 397patristic

Related commentary

And Achan answered Joshua, and said,....

John Gill· Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763)reformed

I have sinned against the Lord God - This seems a very honest and hearty confession, and there is hope that this poor culprit escaped perdition.

Adam Clarke· Commentary on the Bible, 1832evangelical

Indeed I have sinned - He seems to make a sincere and ingenuous confession, and loads his sin with all just aggravations. Against the Lord - Against his express command, and glorious attributes.

John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765evangelical

Upon thy face - This business is not to be done by inactive supplication, but by vigourous endeavours for reformation. Israel - Some or one of them. Transgressed my covenant - That is, broken the conditions of my covenant which they have promised to perform, whereof this was one, not to meddle with the accursed thing.

John Wesley· Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament, 1765evangelical

A penitent acknowledgment of fault. "Indeed I have sinned; what I am charged with is too true to be denied and too bad to be excused. I own it, I lament it; the Lord is righteous in bringing it to light, for indeed I have sinned." This is the language of a penitent that is sick of his, and whose conscience is loaded with it.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

And by this story it appears that, as the laws, so Canaan itself, "made nothing perfect," the perfection both of holiness and peace to God's Israel is to be expected in the heavenly Canaan only.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1710puritan

Voices on this verse

loading…

Cross-references

14 linked verses

The verses this one reaches12

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.
Matthew 13:22
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
Psalms 38:18
Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
Jonah 1:12
“Pick me up,” he answered, “and cast me into the sea, so it may quiet down for you. For I know that I am to blame for this violent storm that has come upon you.”
Joshua 7:11
Israel has sinned; they have transgressed My covenant that I commanded them, and they have taken some of what was devoted to destruction. Indeed, they have stolen and lied, and they have put these things with their own possessions.
Exodus 10:16
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
Matthew 27:4
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
Genesis 42:21
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”
Job 7:20
If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
1 Samuel 15:30
“I have sinned,” Saul replied. “Please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel. Come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.”
Numbers 22:34
“I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”
Job 33:27
Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.

2 more linked verses are grouped by book below ↓

Cross-references

loading…

The quotation web

loading…

Around this verse

Word doors

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread — the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

Featured studies

About this book

Achan Is Stoned to Death — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866) — public domain

Joshua — The entry narrative — Israel crosses the Jordan, takes the Land through three conquest campaigns, and renews covenant at Shechem. The hinge between Torah's promises and the historical record of those promises unfolding.

Canon: Old Testament
Author: Joshua himself at least in part (24:26 — ‘Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God’); later editorial framing traditional
Date: Events c. 1400 BC (early) or 1230 BC (late); compilation across the early-monarchy period

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first — the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Psalms 38:18
Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.
leads to
- Proverbs 28:13
  He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 32:5
  Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah
- Job 33:27
  Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
- Psalms 51:3
  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Through
Job 7:20
If I have sinned, what have I done to You, O watcher of mankind? Why have You made me Your target, so that I am a burden to You?
leads to
- Lamentations 3:12
  He bent His bow and set me as the target for His arrow.
Through
Genesis 42:21
Then they said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this distress…
leads to
- Job 34:31–32
  Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Hosea 5:15
  Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”
Through
Exodus 10:16
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
leads to
- Exodus 9:27
  Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

The whole web at once: see the Arc.

Where the connections lead

loading…

Continue: Joshua 7 →