מדרש אויף יהושע 7:15

It is written (in Josh. 7:19): THEN JOSHUA SAID UNTO ACHAN: <MY SON, PLEASE GIVE GLORY TO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL AND MAKE A CONFESSION TO HIM. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. DO NOT HIDE IT FROM ME.> Achan said to him: Am I to die because of this thing that you are saying unto me?¹⁰Tanh., Numb. 10:5; Numb. R. 23:6. When Achan saw <the situation>, he said in his heart: Now I shall be entrapped by the lot. Then I shall be found untrue (rt.: 'MN) and deemed a liar before Joshua. At that moment Achan said to Joshua: Why are you casting lots between me and my house? Let me cast lots between you and Phinehas! If the lot does not come up for both of you, I also shall believe (rt.: 'MN). At that moment (according to Josh. 7:19) [THEN] JOSHUA SAID {TO} [UNTO] ACHAN: MY SON, PLEASE GIVE GLORY TO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL AND MAKE A CONFESSION [TO HIM]. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. Achan said to him: You also tell me what you have done. Immediately discord broke out in Israel, so that <Achan's> tribe of Judah arose in strife and killed one group after another in Israel. When Achan saw this, he said in his heart: If anyone saves a single life in Israel, it is as though he had saved the entire world; yet in my case, it has been through me that so many people in Israel have been killed. I am a sinner and one who causes <others> to sin. It is better <for me> to confess my transgression before the Holy One and before Joshua, so that no calamity come about through me. What did Achan do? He arose and made his voice heard, so that the whole congregation became silent before him. He said to Joshua (in vs. 20): I AM THE ONE WHO REALLY SINNED BEFORE THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL. THUS AND SO (literally: LIKE THIS AND LIKE THIS) IS WHAT I HAVE DONE. So it was not THIS alone, but I have already acted fraudulently in other matters.¹¹See Gen. R. 85:14, according to which Achan had acted dishonestly in the person of his great grandfather, Zerah, the son of Judah by Tamar. Joshua said to him: Indeed I also knew that you were responsible for the situation. (Josh. 7:19:) PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. DO NOT HIDE IT FROM ME. (vs. 21): I SAW AMONG THE SPOILS. [He had said to himself:] I have seen what is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:14): YOU MAY EAT THE SPOILS OF YOUR ENEMIES. (Josh. 7:21) <I SAW AMONG THE SPOILS> A FINE SHINAR MANTLE…. Now do not say that I am poor and in need, for there is no one in the tribe of Judah more wealthy than I. Immediately (there follows vs. 22): THEN JOSHUA SENT MESSENGERS, AND THEY RAN TO THE TENT…. For what reason did Joshua send them? So that the tribe [of Judah] would not steal them (i.e., the stolen articles) and continue in the discord. Joshua therefore sent quickly, AND (according to vs. 23) THEY BROUGHT THEM UNTO JOSHUA AND UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; AND THEY SPREAD THEM OUT BEFORE THE LORD. What is the significance of AND THEY SPREAD THEM OUT? Joshua said: Sovereign of the World, is it because of these that you have been angry with your children? Here they are set before you. Immediately <we read> (in vs. 24): THEN JOSHUA, <AND ALL ISRAEL WITH HIM,> TOOK ACHAN ACHAN BEN ZERAH, <THE SILVER, THE MANTLE, AND THE WEDGE OF GOLD,> [TOGETHER WITH HIS SONS AND HIS DAUGHTERS.] <He took> HIS SONS AND HIS DAUGHTERS in order to teach them a lesson, but HIS OX, HIS ASS, < … > AND HIS TENT <he took> for burning. <He took> ALL ISRAEL WITH HIM to see his punishment so that they would not become accustomed to acting in this way. (Vs. 24, cont.:) AND THEY BROUGHT THEM UP TO THE VALLEY OF ACHOR (akhor; rt.: 'KR). (vs. 25:) THEN JOSHUA SAID: JUST AS YOU HAVE AFFLICTED (rt.: 'KR) US, [MAY THE LORD AFFLICT (rt.: 'KR) YOU] THIS DAY.¹²Without the bracketed words, the verse would read: HOW YOU HAVE AFFLICTED US THIS DAY! THIS DAY <only> is he to be afflicted ('akhur; rt.: 'KR), but he will have a share in the world to come. (Vs. 25, cont.:) THEN ALL ISRAEL PELTED HIM WITH STONES, him alone, AND THEY BURNED THEM WITH FIRE. The text is speaking of his wealth, for so it had been told him by the Almighty (in vs. 15): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN SEIZED WITH WHAT HAS BEEN PROSCRIBED SHALL BE BURNED WITH FIRE TOGETHER WITH ALL THAT HE HAS. <This passage> is only to teach you that Achan had confessed that he had stolen them on the Sabbath, when he took them out of Jericho and concealed them in the midst of his tent. Thus he was stoned for profaning the Sabbath and burned because he had transgressed the ban. And where is it shown? You find that the Holy One said so to Joshua (in Josh. 6:2–4): SEE, I HAVE GIVEN JERICHO INTO YOUR HANDS, ALONG WITH ITS KING AND THE MIGHTY WARRIORS. SO YOU SHALL GO AROUND THE CITY WITH ALL THE MEN OF WAR TO ENCOMPASS THE CITY ONE TIME. THUS SHALL YOU DO FOR SIX DAYS WITH SEVEN PRIESTS…. <BUT ON THE SEVENTH DAY YOU SHALL GO AROUND THE CITY SEVEN TIMES, AND THE PRIESTS SHALL BLOW ON THE SHOPHARS. This passage serves> to teach you that Jericho was conquered on the Sabbath. Now Joshua did this thing on his own with the Holy One giving his consent. Joshua said (to himself): The Sabbath is holy, as stated (in Exod. 31:14): YOU SHALL KEEP THE SABBATH, BECAUSE IT IS HOLY FOR YOU. So whatever we conquer on it shall be holy, as stated (in Josh. 6:19): BUT ALL THE SILVER AND GOLD, [AND THE VESSELS OF BRONZE AND IRON, ARE HOLY TO THE LORD]. And where is it shown that he gave his consent? Where it is stated (in Joshua 6:17): [THE CITY] AND EVERYTHING IN IT <ARE TO BE> PROSCRIBED FOR THE LORD. At that time (according to Josh. 7:26) THE LORD TURNED FROM HIS BURNING ANGER. Concerning <this matter>, it is stated (in Prov. 16:14): THE KING's ANGER IS LIKE MESSEGERS OF DEATH, AND WHOEVER IS WISE WILL APPEASE IT. This refers to Joshua, who caused the burning anger of the Lord to turn away from Israel.

It is written (in Josh. 7:19), “Then Joshua said unto Achan, ‘My son, please give glory [to the Lord God of Israel and make a confession to Him; please tell me what you have done, do not hide it from me.]’” Achan said to him, “Am I to die because of this thing that you are saying ?”¹⁰Numb. R. 23:6. When Achan saw [the situation], he said in his heart, “Now I shall be entrapped by the lot. Then I shall be found untrue (rt.: 'mn) and deemed a liar before Joshua.” At that moment Achan said to Joshua, “Why are you casting lots between me and my house? Let me cast lots between you and Phinehas! If the lot comes up for both of you, I also shall believe (rt.: 'mn) [in it].” At that moment (according to Josh. 7:19) Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the Lord God of Israel [and make a confession to Him]. Please tell me what you have done.” Achan said to him, “You also tell me what you have done.” Immediately discord broke out in Israel, so that [Achan's] tribe of Judah arose in strife and killed one group in Israel after another. When Achan saw this, he said in his heart, “If anyone saves a single life in Israel, it is as though he had saved the entire world; yet in my case, it has been through me that several people in Israel have been killed. I am a sinner and one who causes [others] to sin. It is better [for me] to confess my transgression before the Holy One, blessed be He, and before Joshua, so that no calamity come about through me.” What did Achan do? He arose and made his voice heard, so that the whole congregation turned to him. He said to Joshua (in vs. 20), “’(Truly) I am the one who sinned before the Lord God of Israel; thus and so (literally, like this and like this) is what I have done.’ So it was not this alone, but I have already misappropriated other [things].”¹¹See Gen. R. 85:14, according to which Achan had acted dishonestly in the person of his great grandfather, Zerah, the son of Judah by Tamar. Joshua said to him, “Indeed I also knew that you were responsible for the situation; (Josh. 7:19:) ‘please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.’” (Vs. 21:) “I saw among the spoils.” [He said,] “I have seen what is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:14), ‘you may eat the spoils of your enemies.’” (Josh. 7:21, cont.:) “A fine shinar mantle.” [He continued,] “Now do not say that I am poor and in need, for there is no one in the tribe of Judah wealthier than I. Immediately (there follows vs. 22), “Then Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent.” For what reason did Joshua send them? So that the tribe of Judah would not steal them (i.e., the stolen articles) and continue in the discord. Joshua therefore sent quickly, and (according to vs. 23) “they brought them unto Joshua and unto all the Children of Israel; and they spread them out before the Lord.” What is the significance of “and they spread them out?” Joshua said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, is it because of these that You have been angry with Your children? Here they are set before you.” Immediately [we read] (in vs. 24), “Then Joshua took Achan ben Zerah, the silver, the mantle, and the wedge of gold, together with his sons and his daughters,” [the latter] in order to teach them a lesson; “his ox, his ass, […] and his tent,” for burning. (Vs. 24, cont.:) “All Israel [Joshua took] with him,” to see his punishment so that they would not become accustomed to acting in this way. (Vs. 24, cont.:) “And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor (akhor; rt.: 'kr).” (Vs. 25:) “Then Joshua said, ‘Just as you have afflicted (rt.: 'kr) us, [may the Lord afflict (rt.: 'kr) you] this day.’”¹²Without the bracketed words, the verse would read: HOW YOU HAVE AFFLICTED US THIS DAY! This day [only] is he to be afflicted ('akhur; rt.: 'kr), but he will have a share in the world to come. (Vs. 25, cont.:) “Then all Israel pelted him with stones,” him alone; “and they burned them with fire.” The text is speaking of his wealth, for so it had been told [Joshua] by the Almighty (in vs. 15), “And it shall come to pass that the one who has been seized with what has been proscribed shall be burned with fire....” If so, what do we learn from the verse (vs. 15, cont.), “him, and all that he has?” [This passage] is only to teach you that Achan had confessed that he had stolen them on the Sabbath, when he took them out of Jericho and buried them in the midst of his tent. Thus he was stoned for profaning the Sabbath and burned because he had transgressed the ban. And where is it shown? You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, said so to Joshua (in Josh. 6:2–4), “See, I have given Jericho into your hands, [along with its king and the mighty warriors. So you shall go around the city with all the men of war to encompass the city one time, thus shall you do for six days. …] but on the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times.” [This passage serves] to teach you that Jericho was conquered on the Sabbath. Now Joshua did this thing on his own, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his consent. Joshua said (to himself), “The Sabbath is holy, as stated (in Exod. 31:14), ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you.’ So whatever we conquer on it shall be holy.” It is so stated (in Josh. 6:19), “But all the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord.” And where is it shown that he received consent? Where it is stated (in Joshua 6:17), “The city and everything in it are to be proscribed for the Lord.” At that time (according to Josh. 7:26) “the Lord turned from His burning anger.” Concerning [this matter], it is stated (in Prov. 16:14), “The king's anger is like messengers of death, and whoever is wise will appease it.” This refers to Joshua, who caused the burning anger of the Lord to turn away from Israel.

“This will be the land that will fall [tipol] to you as an inheritance” – Does land fall? But is it not written: “The earth stands forever” (Ecclesiastes 1:4)? Rather, when the spies came and disseminated slander about the land, Moses was angry at them. All Israel said to him: ‘Had the spies been two or three, by right we should believe them, as it is stated: “According to two witnesses or [according to] three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). They are ten.’ “Where are we ascending? Our brethren have melted our heart, saying: A people greater and taller than we” (Deuteronomy 1:28). As it were, the homeowner is unable to remove his vessels from there.⁵Even if God, the homeowner of the world, had handed over his vessels for safeguarding there, He would not be able to reclaim them (Rashi, Sota 35a). What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He took the angel of the land, bound him, and cast him down [vehipilo] before them, as it is stated: “See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you” (Deuteronomy 1:21). Was it before them? It is, rather, that He cast down [shehipil] its angel and said to them: “Ascend, take possession…do not fear, and do not be frightened” (Deuteronomy 1:21) – not from the giants and not from the great number of people. It is written: “When you allot [uvhapilekhem]⁶The plain understanding is when you cast lots to allot the land. It is expounded as a reference to casting down the angel of the land. the land” (Ezekiel 45:1).
That which the verse said: “The regions that have fallen to me are pleasant; my inheritance is indeed lovely” (Psalms 16:6): “The regions have fallen to me” – these are the twelve tribes, as the land was divided among twelve tribes, as it is stated: “This is the border according to which you shall allocate the land to the twelve tribes of Israel” (Ezekiel 47:13). “Are pleasant” – due to the merit of the Torah, as it is stated: “For it is pleasant if you keep them in your belly; they shall be fixed together on your lips” (Proverbs 22:18). There is a person who is fair but his garment is ugly, [and one that] he is ugly and his garment is fair. But Israel, they are fitting for the land, and the land is fitting for them. That is why it is written: “My inheritance is indeed lovely.” And likewise it says: “I donned righteousness, and it clothed me” (Job 29:14).
It is written: “Joshua said to Akhan: My son, please give glory to the Lord, God of Israel, (Joshua 7:19) – Akhan said to him: ‘Because of this matter that you say, will I die?’ When Akhan saw that it was so⁷That Joshua was about to cast the lots on his family., he said in his heart: Now I will be apprehended by the lots.⁸In which case everybody will know that I am guilty. I will proclaim my disbelief,⁹I will proclaim my disbelief in the lot before it is cast, and will be considered a liar only by Joshua. and I will be considered a liar only before Joshua. At that moment, Akhan said to him: ‘Why are you casting lots between me and the members of my household? I will cast lots between you and Pinḥas. If the lot does not fall on both of you, I will believe in it.’ At that moment, Joshua said to him: “My son, please give glory to the Lord, God of Israel, and confess to Him; tell me now what you have done; do not withhold from me” (Joshua 7:19). He said to Joshua: ‘You too, please tell me what you have done.’ Immediately, a dispute fell among Israel, and the tribe of Judah arose in quarrel and killed various factions in Israel. When Akhan saw that it was so, he said in his heart: Anyone who preserves a single life in Israel it is as though he preserved an entire world; and I, that several people of Israel were killed through me, I am a sinner and have caused others to sin. It is preferable that I confess before the Holy One blessed be He and before Joshua, and let a mishap not come about because of me. What did Akhan do? He arose and sounded his voice to the entire assembly, and the entire assembly was silenced before him. He said to Joshua: ‘“Indeed, I have sinned against the Lord, God of Israel; this and that I have done” (Joshua 7:20). Not only this, but I already misused other proscribed property.’
Joshua said to him: ‘I knew this already; however, since the matter is dependent only upon you, “tell me now” (Joshua 7:19) and “do not withhold from me”’ (Joshua 7:19). He said to him: “I saw among the spoils” (Joshua 7:21) – he said: ‘I looked at what is written in the Torah: “You shall consume the spoils of your enemies” (Deuteronomy 20:14). “A fine mantle from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and one wedge of gold, its weight fifty shekels; I coveted them, and took them” (Joshua 7:21). Do not say that I am poor and I was in need, as there is no one in the tribe wealthier than I am.’ Immediately, “Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and, behold, it was hidden in his tent, and the silver was beneath it” (Joshua 7:22). Why did Joshua send them? It was so the tribe of Judah would not steal them and would not perpetuate the dispute. That is why Joshua sent them quickly.
“They brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and placed them [vayatzikum] before the Lord” (Joshua 7:23). What is vayatzikum? It is that he cast them before the Holy One blessed be He. Joshua said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Due to these You were angry at Your children? They are placed before You.’ Immediately, “Joshua took Akhan son of Zeraḥ, and the silver…and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters (Joshua 7:24) – to intimidate them; “his ox, his donkey, his flock, his tent, and all that was his” (Joshua 7:24) – for burning; “and all Israel with him” (Joshua 7:24) – to witness his trial, so they would not become accustomed to doing [like Akhan]. “They took them up to the Valley of Akhor. Joshua said: How you have tainted us. May the Lord taint you on this day” (Joshua 7:24–25) – this day you are tainted [akhur] but you are not tainted for the World to Come, and you have a portion in it. “All Israel stoned him [with] stones” (Joshua 7:25) – him alone. “They burned them in fire” (Joshua 7:25) – the verse is speaking of his property, as so it was said to him from the mouth of the Almighty: “It shall be that he who is apprehended with the proscribed spoils will be burned in fire, he and all that is his” (Joshua 7:15). If so, why does the verse state: “They stoned him”? Does it not say: “[burned in fire,] he and all that is his”? It teaches that Akhan confessed that he stole on Shabbat, and he took them out of Jericho, and hid them in his tent. He was stoned for desecration of Shabbat, and was burned for misuse of the proscribed items.
From where do you find that it was so?¹⁰That it was Shabbat. The Holy One blessed be He said so to Joshua: “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hand, and its king, its mighty warriors. You shall circle the city, all the men of war, circle the city once. So you shall do six days. Seven priests shall carry seven shofars of rams [before the ark, and on the seventh day¹¹This is interpreted as referring also to the seventh day of the week, Shabbat. you shall circle the city seven times, and the priests shall sound the shofars]” (Joshua 6:2–4). It is to teach you that the city wall was conquered on Shabbat. This matter Joshua performed at his own initiative, and the Holy One blessed be He consented with him. Joshua said: Shabbat is sacred, as it is written: “You shall observe the Sabbath, as it is sacred for you” (Exodus 31:14), and everything that we conquered shall be holy, as it is stated: “All silver and gold, and bronze and iron vessels, are sacred to the Lord; they shall come to the treasury of the Lord” (Joshua 6:19). From where is it derived that they¹²The supernal court. consented with him? It is as it is stated: “The city shall be proscribed; it and everything that is in it is for the Lord” (Joshua 6:17). At that moment, “the Lord withdrew from His enflamed wrath” (Joshua 7:27). In his regard it is stated: “The fury of a king is messengers of death, and a wise man will placate it” (Proverbs 16:14) – this is Joshua, who caused the enflamed wrath of the Lord to be withdrawn from Israel.