CONQUEST. 538

Johnnie. Was anything done to Achan for stealing ?

Grandfather. Yes. Joshua sent messengers to bring
out of his tent the stolen goods which were found hid-
den as he had told them ; then he, with the things that
had ruined him, along with his sons and his daughters,
his oxen, his asses, his sheep, his tent, and all that he
had, were taken into the valley of Achor. There, after
everything living was stoned to death, all were destroyed
by fire.

Johnnie. Was it the Valley of Achan that the place
was called ?

Grandfather. The Valley of Achor it was called.
Achor means trouble, and the place of Achan’s death
was so named because Achan had brought trouble upon
Israel. The Valley of Achor is said to be given for a
door of hope, because there is hope for the people of God
when they begin to put away the accursed thing from
among them. Achan in the camp is a type of sin in the
heart ; it brings trouble and disgrace there. It becomes
us, like the Israelites, to search for the evil thing, to root
it out and utterly destroy it.

Marianne. Grandfather, does it not seem cruel to kill
Achan’s sons and daughters along with him ?

Grandfather. It is most likely that they too were
guilty; if they did not assist him in stealing the
things, they had assisted in secreting them after they
were stolen. That they did it to please their father
is, you know, no excuse for so direct a violation of
an express command. If they were innocent their