ACHAN

ACHAN. — Son of Charmi, of the tribe of Judah (Hebr. ’Akān “afflicting” [?]; Septuagint ’Aẓāp; cf. the name ākran in Num. 1:13; 2:27). Taking part in the conquest of Jericho, and heedless of the divine anathema, he hid beneath the ground in his own tent a scarlet mantle, 200 shekels of gold, and a golden bar, belonging to the enemies. In this way, having alienated the divine blessing, Joshua’s army was partially defeated by the small garrison of Hai. “The foolish Achan” (Dante, Purg., XX, 109), indicated by lot as the culprit, confessed his guilt and was condemned, together with his family, as a terrible warning to others, to be stoned, while all his property was to be burned. The sentence was carried out in a valley south of Jericho and Galgala, which was therefore called that of ’Achor, or of the “troubling one.” The change from A. to Akar in I Par. 2:7 is explained by contamination with this name (Ios. 6:17-19; 7:1-26).

Faustino Salvoni