THERE was once a man who had to pay a penalty apparently out of proportion to the sin committed. His name was Achan, and his story is recorded in the seventh chapter of the book of Joshua. It seems that the children of Israel had attempted to seize the city of Ai, but instead of meeting with their usual success, they had been smitten by the men of Ai and driven back into the valley; "wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water." Something was evidently wrong, for the Lord's chosen people were not wont to flee before their enemies. Even in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties, He who had once made a path for them through the Red Sea had ever been with them to strengthen their hands. What was wrong on this occasion, that they had ignominiously fled before their foes?
Their leader, the intrepid Joshua, rent his clothes and fell on his face before the ark of the Lord; and he and the elders of Israel put dust upon their heads. "The Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, ... for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies. . . . Up, sanctify the people, and say, . . . There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel."
Then Joshua assembled the tribes of Israel, and from them, under divine direction, selected a family, and from the family a household, and from the household a man. And that man was Achan. "And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, . . . tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered . . .: 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." When Achan's tent was searched and his words found to be true, his punishment seemed indeed severe; but after it was meted out, word came to Joshua from the Lord to go out once more against Ai. "See, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land," which promise was soon fulfilled.
