King James Version

What Does Joshua 7:25 Mean?

Joshua 7:25 in the King James Version says “And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones,... — study this verse from Joshua chapter 7 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

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.

Joshua 7:25 · KJV


Context

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.

26

And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. Achor: that is, Trouble


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Joshua's pronouncement: 'Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day.' The Hebrew עָכַר (akar—to trouble, stir up, bring disaster) plays on the valley's name (Achor). Achan's sin 'troubled' Israel by breaking covenant and causing defeat; now God troubles Achan through judgment. The wordplay emphasizes measure-for-measure justice. The execution method combines stoning by the community ('all Israel stoned him with stones') and burning ('burned them with fire'). Stoning represented community participation in judgment—each person symbolically rejecting the sin. Fire represented complete purification and the severity of covenant violation. The phrase 'after they had stoned them with stones' (them, plural) suggests family members shared his fate. The raising of 'a great heap of stones' created lasting memorial. This cairn warned future generations about covenant violation's cost. Romans 6:23 states: 'the wages of sin is death.' Achan's judgment foreshadows eternal consequences of unrepented sin.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Communal stoning was the prescribed method for certain covenant violations (Deuteronomy 13:10, 17:5), requiring community participation in maintaining corporate purity. Each stone thrown represented individual rejection of the sin and commitment to covenant faithfulness. The addition of burning intensified the judgment, ensuring complete destruction. Fire symbolized God's holy wrath consuming sin utterly. The stone heap (gal avanim, גַּל אֲבָנִים—heap of stones) served as visible warning. Ancient Near Eastern cultures regularly erected memorial stones or heaps to commemorate significant events. The phrase 'unto this day' indicates the monument remained visible when Joshua was written, possibly centuries later. The combination of execution methods and memorial ensured this event would never be forgotten. Hosea 2:15 later promises God will transform Valley of Achor into a door of hope—redemption even of places marked by judgment.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does measure-for-measure justice ('you troubled us; God troubles you') teach about divine righteousness?
  2. How do memorial stones or sites help communities remember important spiritual lessons?
  3. How does God's fierce judgment on sin deepen appreciation for Christ bearing our judgment?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 19 words
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר1 of 19

said

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙2 of 19

And Joshua

H3091

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

מֶ֣ה3 of 19

Why

H4100

properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and

יַעְכֳּרְךָ֥4 of 19

hast thou troubled

H5916

properly, to roil water; figuratively, to disturb or affict

יַעְכֳּרְךָ֥5 of 19

hast thou troubled

H5916

properly, to roil water; figuratively, to disturb or affict

יְהוָ֖ה6 of 19

us the LORD

H3068

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

בַּיּ֣וֹם7 of 19

thee this day

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

הַזֶּ֑ה8 of 19
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

וַיִּרְגְּמ֨וּ9 of 19

after they had stoned

H7275

to cast together (stones), i.e., to lapidate

אֹת֤וֹ10 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָל11 of 19
H3605

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

יִשְׂרָאֵל֙12 of 19

And all Israel

H3478

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

בָּֽאֲבָנִֽים׃13 of 19

him with stones

H68

a stone

וַיִּשְׂרְפ֤וּ14 of 19

and burned

H8313

to be (causatively, set) on fire

אֹתָם֙15 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

בָּאֵ֔שׁ16 of 19

them with fire

H784

fire (literally or figuratively)

וַיִּסְקְל֥וּ17 of 19

stoned

H5619

properly, to be weighty; but used only in the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a delapidation)

אֹתָ֖ם18 of 19
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

בָּֽאֲבָנִֽים׃19 of 19

him with stones

H68

a stone


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 7:25 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 7:25 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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