Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction: Achar, also known as Achan, is a biblical figure whose account is recounted in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Joshua. His actions and their consequences serve as a significant lesson on obedience, sin, and divine justice within the narrative of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan.
Biblical Account: Achar is introduced in the context of the Israelites' campaign to conquer the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. The pivotal event involving Achar occurs after the fall of Jericho, a city that God delivered into the hands of the Israelites with specific instructions regarding the spoils of war. The Lord commanded that all silver, gold, and articles of bronze and iron were to be consecrated to Him and placed in His treasury (
Joshua 6:19).
However, Achar, a member of the tribe of Judah, violated this divine command. He secretly took some of the devoted items, including a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, and hid them in his tent (
Joshua 7:21). This act of disobedience brought severe consequences not only upon Achar but also upon the entire nation of Israel.
Consequences of Achar's Sin: The sin of Achar led to Israel's defeat at the battle of Ai, where approximately thirty-six Israelite soldiers were killed (
Joshua 7:5). This unexpected loss caused great distress among the people and their leader, Joshua, who sought the Lord's guidance. God revealed that Israel had sinned by taking some of the devoted things, and as a result, His presence and favor had been withdrawn from them (
Joshua 7:11-12).
To address the sin, God instructed Joshua to sanctify the people and identify the transgressor. Through a process of casting lots, Achar was singled out as the guilty party. When confronted, Achar confessed to his sin, acknowledging his actions and the items he had taken (
Joshua 7:20-21).
Judgment and Legacy: Following Achar's confession, Joshua sent messengers to retrieve the stolen items from Achar's tent. The items were laid out before the Lord, and Achar, along with his family and possessions, was taken to the Valley of Achor. There, Achar and his family were stoned to death, and their remains were burned, as a means of purging the sin from Israel and restoring God's favor (
Joshua 7:24-26).
The Valley of Achor, named after Achar, became a symbol of trouble and judgment. However, in later prophetic literature, it is also mentioned as a place of hope and restoration (
Hosea 2:15), illustrating the transformative power of God's grace.
Theological Significance: Achar's account underscores the seriousness of sin and the importance of obedience to God's commands. It highlights the communal nature of sin, where the actions of one individual can impact the entire community. The narrative also reflects the justice of God, who demands holiness and righteousness from His people. Achar's punishment serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of disobedience, while the eventual restoration of Israel points to God's mercy and the possibility of redemption.
References in Scripture: ·
Joshua 6:19, 7:1-26
·
Hosea 2:15 Related Topics: · Obedience and Disobedience
· Divine Justice
· Communal Responsibility
· Consecration and Devotion
· The Valley of Achor
Achar's account remains a powerful testament to the principles of faithfulness and the repercussions of sin, serving as a cautionary tale for believers throughout the ages.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ACHARa'-kar: Variant of ACHAN, which see.
Strong's Hebrew
311. achar -- after... achar. 312 . after. Transliteration:
achar Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ar') Short
Definition: future.
... (Aramaic) corresponding to '
achar; after -- (here-)after.
... /hebrew/311.htm - 6k 310. achar -- the hind or following part
... 309, 310. achar. 311 . the hind or following part. Transliteration:
achar Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ar') Short Definition: after. ...
/hebrew/310.htm - 6k
309. achar -- to remain behind, tarry
... 308, 309. achar. 310 . to remain behind, tarry. Transliteration: achar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-khar') Short Definition: delay. ... 308, 309. achar. 310 . ...
/hebrew/309.htm - 6k
5917. Akar -- a man of Judah
... 5916, 5917. Akar. 5918 . a man of Judah. Transliteration: Akar Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-kawr') Short Definition: Achar. Word ... 1). Achar. ...
/hebrew/5917.htm - 6k
314. acharon -- coming after or behind
... Word Origin from achar Definition coming after or behind NASB Word Usage afterward
(2), afterwards (1), come (5), come later (1), end (1), future* (1), last (23 ...
/hebrew/314.htm - 6k
315. Acharach -- a son of Benjamin
... Word Origin from achar Definition a son of Benjamin NASB Word Usage Aharah (1). ... From
'achar and 'ach; after (his) brother: Achrach, an Israelite -- Aharah. ...
/hebrew/315.htm - 6k
320. acharith -- the end
... Word Origin (Aramaic) from achar Definition the end NASB Word Usage latter (1).
latter. (Aramaic) from 'achar; the same as 'achariyth; later -- latter. ...
/hebrew/320.htm - 6k
321. ochoran -- another
... Word Origin (Aramaic) from achar Definition another NASB Word Usage another (6),
one else (1), other (2), someone else (1). another. ... see HEBREW 'achar. ...
/hebrew/321.htm - 6k
319. acharith -- the after-part, end
... Word Origin from achar Definition the after-part, end NASB Word Usage come (2),
descendants (1), end (20), final end (1), final period (1), future (7), last (8 ...
/hebrew/319.htm - 6k
317. ochori -- another
... Word Origin fem. of ochoran, qv. another (Aramaic) from 'achar; other -- (an-)other.
see HEBREW 'achar. 316, 317. ochori. 318 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/317.htm - 5k
Library
Behold, did not Achar the Son of Zara Transgress in the Accursed ...
... Canon III. Behold, did not Achar the son of Zara transgress in the accursed
thing? Behold, did not Achar [129] the son of Zara ...
/.../canonical epistle of gregory thaumaturgus/canon iii behold did not.htm
Book 5 Footnotes
... BV ch.7. sect.8. [3] Upon occasion of this devoting of Jericho to destruction, and
the exemplary punishment of Achar, who broke that duerein or anathema, and ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 5 footnotes.htm
How Joshua, the Commander of the Hebrews, Made War with The
... But there was one Achar, [4] the son [of Charmi, the son] of Zebedias, of the tribe
of Judah, who finding a royal garment woven entirely of gold, and a piece ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 how joshua the.htm
The Sixth Book
... examples. For instance, Achar [303] once stole a part of an accursed thing,
and the trespass of one man was the ruin of all. David ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the sixth book.htm
In those Days There was a Man in Jerusalem...
... And at the age of twenty he took to wife Anna, the daughter of Achar, of his own
tribe, that is, of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David. ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of pseudo-matthew/chapter 1 in those days.htm
On the Government of God
... Abel, 50. Abihu, 62. Abiron, 62. Abraham 's life as proof of God 's judgment, 53
f. Absalom, 71, 74. Achar, 157, 214. Adam, 50. A?�tius, 22, 201n. Aetna, 210. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/index 2.htm
And Nicodemus Stood Up, and Stood Before the Sanhedrin...
... And Annas and Caiaphas having taken the law, made Joseph swear, saying: Give glory
to the God of Israel, and give Him confession; for Achar being made to swear ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 15 and nicodemus stood.htm
Rom. xiv. 1, 2
... [1597] Most mss. have "Charmi" or "Charmin;" one "Achar," one "Achar the son of
Charmi.". [1598] Josephus, BJ vi., vii. c. 8., Euseb. HE iii. 6. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxv rom xiv 1.htm
Canonical Epistle of Gregory Thaumaturgus
... a single letter to? Canon III. Behold, did not Achar the son of Zara
transgress in the accursed thing? Canon IV. Let no one ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/thaumaturgus/canonical epistle of gregory thaumaturgus/
Text-Divisions: Stichi, Chapters, Lections, Catenae.
... eita meta touto he historia he peri tou kekruphthai ton Dauid . . . eita ta
exes he historia en trite, hote katephugen pros Achar . . . ...
/.../chapter vi text-divisions stichi chapters.htm
Thesaurus
Achar (1 Occurrence)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ACHAR. a'-kar: Variant of ACHAN, which see.
Multi-Version Concordance
Achar (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles
.../a/achar.htm - 6kFollow (267 Occurrences)
... fol'-o ('achar, radhaph; akoloutheo, dioko): Frequently the translation of 'achar,
"after," eg Numbers 14:24, "hath followed me fully," literally, "fulfilled ...
/f/follow.htm - 38k
Carmi (8 Occurrences)
... the head (Numbers 26:6). (2) A Judahite (1 Chronicles 2:7), son of Zabdi, according
to Joshua 7:1, and father of Achan, who is given the name of "Achar" in 1 ...
/c/carmi.htm - 10k
Achan (7 Occurrences)
... Called also Achar, ie, one who troubles (1 Chronicles 2:7), in commemoration of
his crime, which brought upon him an awful destruction (Joshua 7:1). On the ...
/a/achan.htm - 12k
Hereafter (23 Occurrences)
... her-aft'-er (here (this present) and after) represents Hebrew 'achar, "hinder part,"
"end" (Isaiah 41:23), "the things that are to come hereafter" ('achor after ...
/h/hereafter.htm - 15k
Violated (23 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 1 Chronicles 2:7 The sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel,
who committed a trespass in the devoted thing. (See NAS). ...
/v/violated.htm - 13k
Violating (5 Occurrences)
... (WEY). 1 Chronicles 2:7 The sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel,
who committed a trespass in the devoted thing. (See NIV). ...
/v/violating.htm - 8k
Trespassed (28 Occurrences)
... against Jehovah? (YLT). 1 Chronicles 2:7 And sons of Carmi: Achar, troubler
of Israel, who trespassed in the devoted thing. (YLT). 1 ...
/t/trespassed.htm - 16k
Troubler (5 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 2:7 The sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who committed
a trespass in the devoted thing. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/t/troubler.htm - 8k
Transgressed (44 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV). 1 Chronicles 2:7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar,
the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed. ...
/t/transgressed.htm - 21k
Resources
Bible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus