“So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken.”
This verse is part of the account of the Israelites’ conquest of the city of Jericho, which was the first major victory they achieved after crossing the Jordan River. However, following their triumph, the Israelites encountered a setback at the city of Ai, which was a smaller and seemingly less formidable city than Jericho.
In the preceding verses, we learn that a man named Achan from the tribe of Judah had violated God’s command by taking some of the forbidden plunder from Jericho for himself. As a result, the Lord was angry with the Israelites, and they suffered defeat in their attempt to conquer Ai. Joshua, as the leader of the Israelites, sought to discern the cause of their failure and sought guidance from the Lord.
In Joshua 7:16, we see Joshua taking decisive action in response to the setback. He rose up early in the morning and assembled the Israelites according to their tribes. The specific mention of the tribe of Judah being “taken” likely refers to the process of casting lots to identify the guilty party. The casting of lots was a method used in ancient times to determine God’s will or make decisions when faced with uncertainty.
The subsequent verses reveal that the lot fell upon Achan, and he confessed his sin of taking the devoted things from Jericho. His disobedience had caused the Israelites to lose the battle at Ai, and his actions had brought trouble upon the entire community.
This episode highlights the importance of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. God had explicitly commanded the Israelites not to take any of the devoted things from Jericho, but Achan allowed his desire for personal gain to lead him astray. His actions not only affected him personally but also had repercussions for the entire nation.
The passage serves as a reminder that our individual actions can have far-reaching consequences and impact not just ourselves but also those around us. It emphasizes the importance of following God’s commands and the need for personal responsibility within the community.
In summary, Joshua 7:16 recounts Joshua’s early morning assembly of the Israelites by their tribes after their defeat at Ai. The mention of the tribe of Judah being “taken” refers to the casting of lots to identify the guilty party, which ultimately led to the exposure of Achan’s disobedience. This passage teaches us about the importance of obedience, the consequences of disobedience, and the need for personal responsibility within the community.
