Joshua 7:1
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the devoted things; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. Therefore Yahweh’s anger burned against the children of Israel.”
What does Joshua 7:1 mean?
When Israel defeated Jericho, God had set aside all the plunder as "devoted things," meaning they belonged entirely to him and weren't to be taken as personal spoils. Achan secretly took some of these forbidden items for himself, breaking the community's covenant with God. This passage shows that one person's hidden disobedience affected the entire nation, not because God was being unfair, but because they were bound together as God's people with shared responsibilities. The burning anger here reflects how seriously God takes trust and obedience, especially when his explicit instructions have been given and understood.