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Joshua 9 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
Israel made a huge blunder by not going to God with this decision. We see this so many times, especially in the Old Testament. A leader rushes into a decision without consulting with God, and it leads to their own demise.
God did not want pagan people coming into their presence and corrupting their ways. Historically, the decision to yoke themselves to pagan nations turned Israel’s people toward pagan gods and false religious practices. So we can understand why God did not permit Israel to make covenants with its neighbors (God allowed it for cities outside their land).
On the other hand, after we see the results of this bad choice, it’s a pretty amazing testimony of God’s grace. The Gibeonites end up being forced to serve Israel. Eventually, they integrated into God’s great story and plan. In fact, later on we will see how Gibeon becomes part of Benjamin’s land area, and in Nehemiah, they help with rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem!
The free will of man took the Gibeonites in a less than ideal direction as it applied to Israel. God allowed them to become integrated into His glorious plan through their service to Him. It could be said that, like Rahab, their lifestyle and methods were not morally approved. However, their hearts feared God and had faith in His power. This is a remarkable example of how gracious our God is.