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Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Achan Troubles Israel, Intermediate - I, Lesson - 12

INTERMEDIATE

AGE: 12 - 13 YEARS

STANDARD/GRADE: VII & VIII

Permission is granted only for free distribution among Sunday School children.

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LESSON – 12

ACHAN TROUBLES ISRAEL

 

The Israelites, after their deliverance from the Egyptian slavery made a long journey towards Canaan, led by Moses. The leader of the Israelites Moses passed away at the age of 120 years, before they entered Canaan. After the death of Moses, Joshua led the Israelites towards Canaan. The Israelites had to cross the overflowing Jordan River before they could enter Canaan. God did a miracle and made the Jordan River to turn back and the Israelites walked across the dry river. Although the Israelites had arrived at Canaan, they had to capture the Canaanite cities from various Canaanite tribes, before they could make it their homeland.

The Capture of Jericho

The first Canaanite city the Israelites came across was the huge walled city of Jericho. God gave a special plan to conquer Jericho. Accordingly, Joshua and the Israelites walked around the city of Jericho for seven days. When they circled the city for the seventh time on the seventh day, the priests blew the trumpets and the children of Israel gave a loud shout. Miraculously, the wall of Jericho collapsed and the men marched straight in through the collapsed wall and captured the city of Jericho. Joshua gave an important command saying that the city and all that is in it are doomed by the Lord for destruction. Hence, they should not take any cursed materials from Jericho to their homes. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron (all the articles that could be purified by fire) are sacred to the Lord and must go into the Lord’s treasury.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

The Defeat at the City of Ai

The next Canaanite city Joshua laid his eyes on was the city of Ai. Joshua sent some of his men to spy out Ai. The men went around Ai. They came back to Joshua and told him that only few soldiers were needed to capture Ai, since it was a small city with few men. So, Joshua sent around three thousand men. But surprisingly, the battle was not easy; the Israelites suffered loss and thirty-six soldiers were killed. The Israelite men returned in defeat and the Israelites were disheartened. Joshua, the leader of the Israelites tore his clothes, put dust on his head and fell face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. Joshua was confused. He was wondering why the defeat had happened and worried that the enemies of Israel might destroy them after their defeat at Ai.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Sin in the Camp

The Lord spoke to Joshua and told him to get up from the ground; he had to do a clean-up work of the Israelite camp, before they could defeat Ai. The Lord revealed that there is sin in the Israelite camp. One of them had disobeyed God’s command and had stolen the accursed stuff from Jericho that should have gone into God’s treasury. God told them that, it was the reason for their defeat and why they couldn’t stand before their enemies. God instructed Joshua to sanctify the people and remove the accursed thing from the camp. The person who stole the cursed thing from Jericho, and who caused the defeat of the Israelites at Ai should also be punished and removed from the camp.

Achan is Identified

Early the next morning, Joshua called all the Israelites together by their tribes. Joshua had to identify the person who had caused the trouble for Israel and remove the accursed stuff from the camp. When the Israelites came together, the tribe of Judah was identified as the tribe. Next, the particular clan (or big families) from the tribe of Judah had to be found. The clan of the Zarhites was marked. Then it was found that the guilty person was from the family of a man named Zabdi. Zabdi brought his entire household man by man and Achan was identified. (It is not specifically stated in the Holy Bible, how the guilty person was singled out. It could have been through casting lots which was common in the ancient world).

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Achan’s confession

Joshua asked Achan to give glory to God and confess his sins. Achan admitted that he had stolen the spoils from Jericho. He had taken a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels* (Refer Notes) of silver, a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels and hid them under his tent. Achan had taken things that belonged to God’s treasury. Perhaps he thought that he could bury the things he stole under his tent and that no one would ever find out. He forgot that the Lord sees everything. Nothing can be hidden from the Lord. Achan told Joshua that the things he had stolen were buried inside his tent. Joshua sent messengers, who went to Achan’s tent and found the stolen stuff buried under his tent and brought them to Joshua.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Why have you troubled us?

Joshua and the Israelites brought Achan and the stolen stuff to a place called the Valley of Achor. Then Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” So, the Israelites stoned him to death and they raised a heap of stones there called the Valley of Achor.

Sweet Publishing / FreeBibleimages.org.

Joshua defeats Ai

After the accursed person and the stuff were removed from the camp, God comforted and strengthened Joshua and promised that he would hand over Ai into their hands. God gave them specific instructions and showed them how to approach Ai and to capture the city. Joshua did as God instructed him and they captured Ai.

Remains of the city of Ai found during archaeological excavations, biblearchaeology.org

Teachers Notes:

Shekel was used as a unit of weight in ancient Israel and was later used as a currency. One ancient shekel was around 11 grams. The currency of Israel is still called shekel, although there are differences between the ancient shekel and the new shekel.

First Temple era, Two shekel weight, Shai Halevi, Israel Antiquities Authority
Shekel coin from the Second Temple period at the Rockefeller Museum, Creative Commons License

Bible Portion: Joshua 6 - 8

Memory Verse: Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5)



ASSESSMENT ACTIVITY 

I. Give one word answers:

1. The first Canaanite city the Israelites came across was the huge walled city of ……………………..

2. Joshua sent around ……………………… men to capture Ai.

3. Achan was from the clan of ........................

4. Joshua and the Israelites brought Achan and the stolen stuff to a place called the ………………………... 

II. Give short answers:

1. What was the important command given by Joshua about the things in Jericho?

 

 

2. What was the reason given by God for the Israelites defeat at Ai?

 

 

3. Why did Joshua call all the Israelites together by their tribes?

 

 

4. What did Achan steal from Jericho? 

 

 

III. Give brief answers:

 

1. Write about the defeat at the city of Ai?

 

  

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