1. Joshua 7:23 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why were the goods spread out before the LORD?

Joshua 7:23 (ESV)

23 And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD.

The Hebrew literally says that the goods were poured out before the Lord. What belongs to the Lord is returned to him. Most likely the items were formally displayed before the ark of the covenant to show them being returned to the Lord. 1