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Although the Bible says in numerous other places that stealing is wrong, I would not make that application from this passage. I would not say that Achan was punished for stealing. He was punished for not following the orders of God, knowing he was not following the orders, and trying to hide his disobedience from his fellow Israelites. What Achan realizes, though, is that one cannot hide ones sins from God. God knows all, even the things that we do in secret. Stealing may be a subset of the order not to possess the banned items, but it is not the main issue in this passage; disobedience is.