Laid them out before the Lord. This shows the directly religious nature of the proceeding. God had directed the lot, the offender was discovered, and now the devoted things are solemnly laid out one by one (for so the Hebrew seems to imply, though in 2 Samuel 15:24 it has the sense of planting firmly, as molten matter hardens and becomes fixed) before Him whose they are, as a confession of sin, and also as an act of restitution.
Bible Commentary
Joshua 7:23
Joshua 7:23
The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain
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Joshua 7 — OverviewJoshua 7 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleMore than once we have found the affairs of Israel, even when they were
in the happiest posture and gave the most hopeful prospects, perplexed
and embarrassed by sin, and a stop thereby put to the most promising…Joshua 7 — OverviewJoshua 7 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeJoshua 7:1, The Israelites are smitten at Ai; Joshua 7:6, Joshua’s complaint; Joshua 7:10, God instructs him what to do; Joshua 7:16, Achan is taken by the lot; Joshua 7:19, His confession; Joshua 7:24, He and all he…Joshua 7 — OverviewJoshua 7 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleFor the trespass of Achan the children of Israel were smitten and put to flight by the men of Ai, Jos 7:1; which gave him and the elders of the people great concern, both for Israel and for the name of the Lord, which…Joshua 7:16-26Joshua 7:16-26 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe have in these verses,
I. The discovery of Achan by the lot, which proved a perfect lot,
though it proceeded gradually. Though we may suppose that Joshua slept
the better, and with more ease and satisfaction,…Joshua 7:16-26Joshua 7:16-26 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe detection.
Objections have been raised to the morality of the whole narrative. We will deal first with this subject, and then turn to the religious and moral questions involved.
I. WHY DID GOD NOT REVEAL THE…Joshua 7:23Joshua 7:23 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgelaid them out: Heb. poured, Joshua 7:23