| |
9 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.” And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.
Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that he should choose.
(ESV)
In Joshua 9, the Gibeonites, fearing Israel’s conquests, deceive Joshua and the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant land. They present worn-out provisions to secure a peace treaty, which the Israelites agree to without consulting God. When the deception is uncovered, the Israelites honor their oath made before the Lord, sparing the Gibeonites but cursing them to be perpetual servants as woodcutters and water carriers for the community and God’s altar.
If a parent promises to support their child but lies, what happens? The child grows up feeling abandoned and struggles with trusting anyone. If a doctor lies about a diagnosis, what happens? Misguided treatment, potential harm, and loss of confidence in medical care. If a contractor lies about the quality of materials used, what happens? A poorly constructed home that will not last and may even collapse. If a witness lies in court, what happens? A failure of justice, possibly harming the innocent and enabling the guilty.
Deceit and falsehood undermine interpersonal bonds and devastate communal relationships. Surviving deception and lies is extremely challenging for a family, a community, or a friendship, and we see these themes play out all throughout Scripture. Against the backdrop of humanity’s selfish scheming and fickle falsehood, we find God’s amazing grace.
After their triumphant victory over the city of Ai in Joshua 8, the Israelites rededicate themselves to the Lord. Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal as Moses had commanded, using uncut stones, and offered sacrifices to God. He inscribed the law of Moses on the stones and read it aloud to the entire assembly of Israel, including men, women, children, and resident aliens, ensuring everyone heard both the blessings and curses of the law. It was an incredible spiritual high!
At the very same time, the enemy, ever keen on undermining God’s people, began to sow seeds of deception and lies within the hearts of the neighboring nations. Israel had barely tasted victory when the scheme to mislead them was promptly put into action. Does this sound familiar?
Spiritual enemies relentlessly oppose believers, with demonic forces seeking to destroy faith and rob us of victory in Christ. Trials and temptations become their tools, pressing believers to falter and sin. Take note: their attacks are fiercest during spiritual highs – moments of recommitment and covenant renewal with God! Scripture reminds us of this ongoing warfare, warning us to expect fierce battles with the enemy.
“When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.”
Matthew 13:19 CSB
“Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. [32] But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And you, when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke 22:31-32 CSB
“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”
1 Peter 5:8 CSB
Here in Joshua 9, the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites with a web of lies. They claimed to come from a distant land, seeking peace, yet Joshua and his leaders suspected their deceit. They feigned reverence for the Lord and portrayed themselves as important ambassadors, eager to serve Israel in exchange for peace. Their worn clothes and stale provisions were a carefully crafted illusion, meant to deceive into believing their long journey. Each lie was a deliberate stroke, masking their true identity and intentions.
Israel’s leaders, together with Joshua, examined their appearance and assessed their belongings before entering into an agreement to ensure their safety. It was later revealed that the Gibeonites were in close proximity all along. According to God’s law in Leviticus, all oaths were to be upheld, leaving them bound to honor their promise even though they were deceived.
Though it was tempting for Israel to pay back the Gibeonites’ deceit with violence, they instead honored their oath to the Lord, and the Lord provided a solution. Joshua publicly rebuked the Gibeonites for their deception and subjected them to a lifetime of menial service in the Tabernacle, preventing them from becoming allies.
Joshua 9 states that the Gibeonites admitted they deceived the Israelites out of fear for their lives, and, willing to serve, they were spared from death. To protect Israel from further deceit, they were assigned to work in the Tabernacle, focusing on worship and keeping them from spreading idolatry. This arrangement ensured that the Gibeonites, over time, could be influenced by God’s presence, leading some to eventually become true worshipers of the Lord. Once again, God’s grace prevails.
The Scriptures do not suggest that the Gibeonites posed any issues for the Israelites from this day forward. On the contrary, more than 500 of them came back to Jerusalem following the Babylonian captivity (Ezr 2:43-58; Ezr 8:20). This implies that they had truly embraced the faith and devoted themselves to worshiping the One True God!