ACHAN

ACHAN. — Son of Charmi, of the tribe of Judah (Hebrew 'Akân “afflicting” [?]; LXX 'Ayâq; cf. the name Akran in Num. 1:13; 2:27). While taking part in the conquest of Jericho, heedless of the divine ban, he hid beneath the ground in his tent a scarlet mantle, two hundred shekels of gold, and a bar of gold belonging to the enemy. Thus drawing down the divine blessing, the army of Josue was partially defeated by the small garrison of Hai. “The foolish Achan” (Dante, Purg., XX, 109), singled out by lot as the guilty one, confessed his fault and was condemned, along with his family, to stoning as a terrible warning to others, while all his property was to be burned. The sentence was carried out in a valley south of Jericho and Gilgal, which was therefore called the valley of 'Achor or “the troubling.” Through contamination with this name the change from A. to Akar in 1 Chron. 2:7 (Jos. 6:17–19; 7:1–26) is explained.