Achan (biblical figure)

Achan (Hebrew עָכָן; ' Akhan ( Jos 7 EU and Jos 22,20 EU); עָכָר ' Akhar in 1 Chr 2.7 EU ), the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah was a convicted thief in the Old Testament.

According to the legend of the failed conquest of Ai during the conquest of Canaan by Israel Achan was the cause of this ( temporary) defeat.

In the previously effected the conquest of Jericho leader Joshua the son of Nun had put the entire city under the spell, ( Jos 6.17 EU) so they assumed the priestly available, and thus removed from the direct access of the conquerors. However, Achan kept parts spell good for yourself ( Jos 7.1 EU): a Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a fifty shekels vast gold bullion.

Then was kindled the wrath of God is not only the thief, but the entire nation, after which he enclosed a military defeat this side of Ai. In prayer learned Joshua, violation of the commandment is this spell have been the cause ( Jos 7.10 to 13 EU) and the hint, the name of the Delinquienten an oracles ( oracle selection ) to be determined. The divine Los seventh from the tribes of Judah, out of Judah, the family of Zerah, from this, in turn, the extended family Sabdi and out of her finally Achan out. Such transferred to Joshua's request, he recognized God's righteousness, pleaded guilty to count on the stolen goods and was the hiding place award, a pit in the tent.

The law enprechend the offender (the plane Buqē'a well ) were stoned to death along with his family in the " valley of Achor ". The story is thus an etiological legend that explains the found there heaps.

The structure of the passage of the oracle selection follows the description of the choice of king Saul (1 Sam 11 EU).

The hardness in the pursuit of missbrauchtem confidence sounds in the New Testament parable of the talents and the story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10 EU) again.