Joshua 7:25 Meaning and Explanation
“And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Joshua declares that the troubler will now be troubled, and Israel carries out the judgment by stoning and fire.
What Does Joshua 7:25 Mean?
Joshua names the justice of the moment: 'Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day.' The word for trouble plays on the valley's name. Then the sentence announced earlier is carried out, and Israel executes judgment upon the devoted things and the one who took them.
This is among the hardest scenes in the book, and Scripture does not soften it. It reveals the dread seriousness of covenant-breaking and the holiness of God that cannot simply overlook what defies Him. Yet read in the long light of the whole Bible, such judgment makes the mercy of the cross shine all the brighter. There the troubling that our sin deserves was taken up by Another, so that the verdict against us could be turned away.
Joshua 7:25 in the Original Language
akar (עָכַר), 'troubled' -- to bring disaster or ruin upon, echoing the name Achor given to the valley.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 7:25
What does Joshua 7:25 mean?
Joshua declares that the troubler will now be troubled, and Israel carries out the judgment by stoning and fire.