Difference between revisions of "Collective Punishment for Akhan's Sin/1/en"
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<div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | <div><b><center><span class="highlighted-notice">This topic has not yet undergone editorial review</span></center></b></div> | ||
<h2>The Punishment of Innocents</h2> | <h2>The Punishment of Innocents</h2> | ||
| − | <p>Why are innocents sometimes punished for the sins of others?  This question lies at the heart of the story of Akhan in Yehoshua Chapter 7.  The chapter describes how Akhan | + | <p>Why are innocents sometimes punished for the sins of others?  This question lies at the heart of the story of Akhan in Yehoshua Chapter 7.  The chapter describes how Akhan sins in taking from the banned, consecrated spoils of Yericho, resulting in national defeat at the Battle of Ai and the death of thirty-six soldiers.  While these apparent innocents are punished, Akhan himself is originally spared.  Where is Hashem's justice in this story?  Why did the entire nation need to suffer for the actions of one individual?  Moreover, why were dozens of innocent men killed while the guilty Akhan's personal punishment was suspended?<fn>Though Akhan is not among those killed in battle, he is punished for his crimes.   After a public lottery finds him guilty, he is stoned to death.</fn></p> |
<h2>Attribution of Sin</h2> | <h2>Attribution of Sin</h2> | ||
| + | <p>The chapter clearly implicates Akhan as the individual who took from Yericho's spoils.  The opening verse of the chapter singles him out as the culprit, and later in the story, the lottery clearly defines him alone as the thief.  Nonetheless, alongside th, the text simultaneously attributes the crime to all of Israel:</p> | ||
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| + | <q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl" style="margin-bottom:.3em;">(א) וַיִּמְעֲלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעַל בַּחֵרֶם וַיִּקַּח עָכָן בֶּן כַּרְמִי בֶן זַבְדִּי בֶן זֶרַח לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה מִן הַחֵרֶם וַיִּחַר אַף י"י בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. </q><q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl">(יא) חָטָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם עָבְרוּ אֶת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אוֹתָם וְגַם לָקְחוּ מִן הַחֵרֶם וְגַם גָּנְבוּ וְגַם כִּחֲשׁוּ וְגַם שָׂמוּ בִכְלֵיהֶם.</q> | ||
| + | <q xml:lang="en" style="margin-bottom:.3em;">(1) But the children of Israel committed a trespass concerning the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing; and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel. </q><q xml:lang="en">(11) Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing; and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have even put it among their own stuff.</q> | ||
| + | </multilang> | ||
| + | <p>What do these verses suggest about the culpability of the nation as a whole?  Do they imply that others besides Akhan also participated in the trespassing?  If not, why is Israel being held collectively responsible?  Finally, is collective responsibility the norm for Biblical justice, or is the case of Akhan unique?</p> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <h2>Akhan's Children</h2> | ||
| + | <p>The end of the narrative adds one last question related to punishment of innocents.  In describing the stoning of Akhan, the text leaves open the possibility that his children were killed as well:</p> | ||
| + | <p> </p> | ||
| + | <p> </p> | ||
</page> | </page> | ||
</aht-xml> | </aht-xml> | ||
Version as of 11:51, 3 July 2016
Collective Punishment for Akhan's Sin
Introduction
The Punishment of Innocents
Why are innocents sometimes punished for the sins of others? This question lies at the heart of the story of Akhan in Yehoshua Chapter 7. The chapter describes how Akhan sins in taking from the banned, consecrated spoils of Yericho, resulting in national defeat at the Battle of Ai and the death of thirty-six soldiers. While these apparent innocents are punished, Akhan himself is originally spared. Where is Hashem's justice in this story? Why did the entire nation need to suffer for the actions of one individual? Moreover, why were dozens of innocent men killed while the guilty Akhan's personal punishment was suspended?1
Attribution of Sin
The chapter clearly implicates Akhan as the individual who took from Yericho's spoils. The opening verse of the chapter singles him out as the culprit, and later in the story, the lottery clearly defines him alone as the thief. Nonetheless, alongside th, the text simultaneously attributes the crime to all of Israel:
(א) וַיִּמְעֲלוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מַעַל בַּחֵרֶם וַיִּקַּח עָכָן בֶּן כַּרְמִי בֶן זַבְדִּי בֶן זֶרַח לְמַטֵּה יְהוּדָה מִן הַחֵרֶם וַיִּחַר אַף י"י בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
(יא) חָטָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם עָבְרוּ אֶת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אוֹתָם וְגַם לָקְחוּ מִן הַחֵרֶם וְגַם גָּנְבוּ וְגַם כִּחֲשׁוּ וְגַם שָׂמוּ בִכְלֵיהֶם.
(1) But the children of Israel committed a trespass concerning the devoted thing; for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the devoted thing; and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
(11) Israel hath sinned; yea, they have even transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; yea, they have even taken of the devoted thing; and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have even put it among their own stuff.
What do these verses suggest about the culpability of the nation as a whole? Do they imply that others besides Akhan also participated in the trespassing? If not, why is Israel being held collectively responsible? Finally, is collective responsibility the norm for Biblical justice, or is the case of Akhan unique?
Akhan's Children
The end of the narrative adds one last question related to punishment of innocents. In describing the stoning of Akhan, the text leaves open the possibility that his children were killed as well:
