King James Version

What Does Joshua 7:23 Mean?

Joshua 7:23 in the King James Version says “And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and ...” — study this verse from Joshua chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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”

Joshua 7:23 · KJV

Context

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

24

And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.

25

And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The messengers took the items from the tent and brought them to Joshua and all Israel, laying them before the LORD. The recovery process involves community—messengers retrieve, leaders receive, all Israel witnesses, items are presented before God. The phrase 'laid them out before the LORD' indicates presenting the evidence in God's presence, likely before the ark. This action acknowledges that the sin was primarily against God—stolen items are returned to His presence for judgment. The comprehensive witnessing ('all the children of Israel') ensures corporate knowledge and accountability. No one could later claim ignorance or dispute the facts. The public presentation also served as object lesson—these are the forbidden items that cost Israel victory, thirty-six lives, and now will cost Achan and his household everything. The treasures that seemed desirable are revealed as deadly. This illustrates sin's deceitfulness—what appears valuable brings death (James 1:15; Romans 6:23).

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The phrase 'before the LORD' indicates the ark's presence—God's earthly throne. Presenting evidence before the ark acknowledged divine jurisdiction over the case. Ancient Near Eastern legal proceedings often occurred at sacred sites, invoking divine witness to judicial proceedings. The public nature of the presentation fulfilled multiple purposes: validated the evidence, created community consensus for the coming judgment, and educated all Israel about covenant violation's seriousness. The visual impact would have been powerful—the luxurious Babylonian garment, the pile of silver, the gold bar, all laid out before God and community. These were the forbidden things that had broken fellowship with God and caused military defeat. The presentation concluded the investigation phase; judgment would follow. Archaeological discoveries show that ancient communities practiced public justice to maintain social cohesion and deter future violations. The communal aspect reinforced that Achan's private sin had corporate consequences.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does presenting evidence 'before the LORD' teach about God's role in justice?
  2. How does the public exposure of sin serve both justice and community education?
  3. What treasures in your life, if laid before the LORD, would be revealed as forbidden or idolatrous?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 13 words
וַיִּקָּחוּם֙1 of 13

“And they took”

H3947

to take (in the widest variety of applications)

מִתּ֣וֹךְ2 of 13

“them out of the midst”

H8432

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

הָאֹ֔הֶל3 of 13

“of the tent”

H168

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

וַיְבִאוּם֙4 of 13

“and brought”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

אֶל5 of 13
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ6 of 13

“them unto Joshua”

H3091

jehoshua (i.e., joshua), the jewish leader

וְאֶ֖ל7 of 13
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

כָּל8 of 13
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

בְּנֵ֣י9 of 13

“and unto all the children”

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל10 of 13

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

וַיַּצִּקֻ֖ם11 of 13

“and laid them out”

H3332

properly, to pour out (transitive or intransitive); by implication, to melt or cast as metal; by extension, to place firmly, to stiffen or grow hard

לִפְנֵ֥י12 of 13

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

יְהוָֽה׃13 of 13

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

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 7:23 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

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