King James Version

What Does Joshua 7:21 Mean?

Joshua 7:21 in the King James Version says “When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. wedge: Heb. tongue”

Joshua 7:21 · KJV

Context

19

And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

20

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

21

When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. wedge: Heb. tongue

22

So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

23

And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. laid: Heb. poured

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Achan details his sin step by step: 'When I saw...I coveted...and took them.' This progression—see, covet, take—maps the psychology of temptation. Seeing isn't sin, but lingering gaze leads to covetous desire (chamad, חָמַד—to desire, take pleasure in), which produces action (taking). This mirrors Eve's temptation: 'the woman saw...good...pleasant...desired...took' (Genesis 3:6). The pattern recurs: desire conceives and brings forth sin (James 1:14-15). The items: 'a goodly Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold.' The garment (adderet shinar, אַדֶּרֶת שִׁנְעָר—literally, 'mantle of Shinar') was valuable imported luxury from Mesopotamia. The silver (about 5 pounds) and gold wedge (50 shekels, about 1.25 pounds) represented significant wealth. But more significant than monetary value: these were cherem—devoted to God, forbidden for personal use. His confession 'they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent' reveals premeditation—he buried them, concealing the theft. The location 'in the midst of my tent' shows the irony: hidden from humans but fully visible to God. The 'silver under it' suggests careful concealment—first the treasure, then the garment on top as further cover.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Babylonian (Shinar) garments were prized in the ancient world for their quality and craftsmanship. Such luxury items were rare in newly-arrived Israel, making them especially tempting. Two hundred shekels of silver represented significant wealth—roughly equivalent to several months' wages for a laborer. The gold wedge (literally 'tongue of gold' due to shape) would have been portable wealth. Archaeological excavations of ancient Israelite tents show that burying valuables in tent floors was common practice for security. Achan's theft violated explicit commands: all silver and gold were consecrated to the LORD's treasury (Joshua 6:19), and the city's goods were devoted to destruction. His sin combined theft (taking what belonged to God), covetousness (desiring forbidden items), and deception (hiding the evidence). The ancient world had limited privacy—tents were communal spaces. Yet Achan managed to hide his theft, suggesting either his family's complicity or remarkable secretiveness. The progression from seeing to coveting to taking illustrates why Israel's law included thoughtcrime (Exodus 20:17—'thou shalt not covet')—internal desire leads to external action.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding the progression (see-covet-take) help you recognize and resist temptation earlier?
  2. What treasures or possessions do you 'hide in your tent' while assuming God doesn't see?
  3. How does covetousness (desiring what God forbids) undermine trust in His provision and wisdom?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 24 words
וָאֵ֣רֶאה1 of 24

“When I saw”

H7200

to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)

בַשָּׁלָ֡ל2 of 24

“among the spoils”

H7998

booty

אַדֶּ֣רֶת3 of 24

“garment”

H155

something ample (as a large vine, a wide dress)

שִׁנְעָר֩4 of 24

“Babylonish”

H8152

shinar, a plain in babylonia

אֶחָד֙5 of 24

“a”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

טוֹבָ֜ה6 of 24

“goodly”

H2896

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good

וּמָאתַ֧יִם7 of 24

“and two hundred”

H3967

a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction

שְׁקָלִים֙8 of 24

“shekels”

H8255

probably a weight; used as a commercial standard

וְהַכֶּ֥סֶף9 of 24

“and the silver”

H3701

silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

וּלְשׁ֨וֹן10 of 24

“wedge”

H3956

the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame,

זָהָ֤ב11 of 24

“of gold”

H2091

gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e., yellow), as oil, a clear sky

אֶחָד֙12 of 24

“a”

H259

properly, united, i.e., one; or (as an ordinal) first

חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים13 of 24

“of fifty”

H2572

fifty

שְׁקָלִים֙14 of 24

“shekels”

H8255

probably a weight; used as a commercial standard

מִשְׁקָל֔וֹ15 of 24

“weight”

H4948

weight (numerically estimated); hence, weighing (the act)

וָֽאֶחְמְדֵ֖ם16 of 24

“then I coveted”

H2530

to delight in

וָֽאֶקָּחֵ֑ם17 of 24

“them and took”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

וְהִנָּ֨ם18 of 24
H2009

lo!

טְמוּנִ֥ים19 of 24

“them and behold they are hid”

H2934

to hide (by covering over)

בָּאָ֛רֶץ20 of 24

“in the earth”

H776

the earth (at large, or partitively a land)

בְּת֥וֹךְ21 of 24

“in the midst”

H8432

a bisection, i.e., (by implication) the center

הָאָֽהֳלִ֖י22 of 24

“of my tent”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

וְהַכֶּ֥סֶף23 of 24

“and the silver”

H3701

silver (from its pale color); by implication, money

תַּחְתֶּֽיהָ׃24 of 24
H8478

the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Joshua. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Joshua 7:21 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Joshua 7:21 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

James 1:15Psalms 119:371 John 2:15-16Luke 12:15Deuteronomy 7:252 Peter 2:15

Places in This Verse

ShinarRegion · Modern: Babylon · 32.54°N, 44.42°E8 verses across 5 books
View all places in Joshua 7 →

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