Achan’s Sin: Hidden Covetousness and the Valley of Trouble

Bible Believing Christian
Oct 3
4 min read

Achan’s Sin: Hidden Covetousness and the Valley of Trouble

Sometimes the greatest danger to God’s people is not the enemy outside, but the compromise inside. After the stunning victory at Jericho, Israel expected to keep marching forward in triumph. Instead, they stumbled in humiliating defeat at Ai because of one man’s hidden sin. The story of Achan shows the seriousness of sin, the holiness of God, and the need for atonement—a theme that finds its fulfillment in Christ.

Telling the Story / Biblical Foundation

After Jericho’s walls fell by God’s power, Israel moved to attack Ai, a small town by comparison. Scouts assured Joshua it would be an easy win:

“Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men need go up to Ai; do not make all the people weary with going there, for they are few.” (Joshua 7:3 NASB)

Confident, Joshua sent around three thousand men—but they fled in defeat. Thirty-six Israelites died, and the people’s hearts “melted and became like water” (v. 5).

Joshua fell to the ground in grief before the Ark, asking why God had allowed such disaster. God’s reply was blunt:

“Israel has sinned, and they have also violated My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things designated for destruction, and have both stolen and kept it a secret. Furthermore, they have also put them among their own belongings.” (Joshua 7:11 NASB)

The problem was not military strength but hidden disobedience.

The Discovery

By sacred lot, the tribes, clans, and households were narrowed down until one man was exposed: Achan, son of Carmi, of the tribe of Judah.

Confronted, Achan confessed:

“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful robe from Babylon, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, I wanted them and took them; and behold, they are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” (Joshua 7:21 NASB)

The stolen items were recovered, and Achan, along with his family and possessions, was taken to the Valley of Achor (“trouble”). There, Israel executed judgment:

“So all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones.” (Joshua 7:25 NASB)

Historical & Contextual Notes

The Ban (ḥerem): Jericho had been placed under ḥerem—devoted entirely to God. Everything was to be destroyed except the precious metals consecrated for the treasury (Joshua 6:17–19). To take from the ḥerem was theft against God Himself.

Corporate Consequences: Ancient Israel understood itself as a covenant people; the sin of one could pollute the whole nation. The defeat at Ai illustrates this collective accountability.

Babylonian Robe: Archaeology suggests luxury textiles from Mesopotamia were rare and extremely valuable. Achan’s covetousness was not about need but greed.

Misconceptions / Objections

Was God too harsh? Some modern readers struggle with the severity of Achan’s judgment. But the narrative shows this was not an impulsive theft—it was a direct violation of God’s covenant command. In a fledgling nation meant to embody holiness, compromise at the foundation would have been fatal.

Did his family deserve punishment? The text implies they were complicit; the stolen items were buried in the family tent. Silence can be agreement.

Theological Reflection

The Progression of Sin: Achan’s words reveal a chain: “I saw… I wanted… I took… I hid.” This echoes the pattern of Eve in Genesis 3:6 and David with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11. Sin grows from desire to action to cover-up.

The Corporate Weight of Sin: Hidden sin in one household brought defeat to the whole nation. In the church, Paul echoes this: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:6 NASB).

The Valley of Achor: Named for “trouble,” this place becomes a symbol of judgment. Yet God later flips the imagery: “I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.” (Hosea 2:15 NASB). Where judgment once fell, grace would open a path forward.

Connection to Christ

Achan, from the tribe of Judah, faced judgment for his disobedience. From that same tribe would come Jesus, who bore not His own sin but ours:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’” (Galatians 3:13 NASB)

Where Achan brought defeat to God’s people, Jesus brings victory. Where Achan was buried in the Valley of Achor, Jesus transforms valleys of judgment into doors of hope.

Christ-Centered Conclusion

Achan’s story reminds us that sin cannot be hidden from God. It poisons communities, undermines faith, and brings destruction. Yet it also points us to Christ, who bore sin’s curse so that we might be freed. The Valley of Trouble becomes, in Him, a place of hope.