Joshua 9: The Treaty with the Gibeonites
1 And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it, 2 that they're gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord.
"Hitherto the Canaanites had defended themselves, but here they consult to attack Israel. Their minds were blinded, and their hearts hardened to their destruction. Though often at enmity with each other, yet they united against Israel. Oh that Israel would learn of Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public welfare, and to lay aside all quarrels among themselves, that they may unite against the enemies of God's kingdom!" (Matthew Henry)
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, 5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry andmoldy. 6 And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”
Israel had been directed by Yahweh to offer peace terms to cities that they came in contact with on the way to Canaan. "When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you." (Deuteronomy 20:10-11)
But no such arrangement could be made with Canaanites. His judgement had come on them. Gibeon was located 7 miles from Ai. "As in the opening chapters of Genesis, so also in the opening chapters of Israel’s dwelling in the Promised Land, a single transgression has cosmic ramifications." (Hess) We see here a picture of the enemy within the camp.
"In a context where the apostle Paul has been discussing his ministry as an ambassador of Christ (see 2 Cor. 4:1-5:20), he declares 'for we walk by faith, not by sight.' To walk by faith is to walk in a spirit of prayerful dependence on the Lord and His guidance. So James encourages us, 'If anyone of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God' (Jam. 1:5). We are always to seek God’s wisdom because we need His omniscient and sovereign guidance no matter what the issue is that faces us. Later, in his epistle, James will warn against the sin of presuming on the Lord or against pursuing our own dreams and objectives apart from seeking God’s leading and will (4:13-17)." [J Hampton Keathley, III]
"We have a very striking illustration of the devil’s deceptive practices in this ninth chapter of Joshua. As the word went out to the other Canaanite peoples that Jericho and Ai had fallen before the victorious Israelites, the dwellers in a certain Hivite city, named Gibeon, decided that if they would avert the destruction of themselves and their city, they must act at once and that in a manner calculated to mislead Joshua and his forces regarding their identity and the location of their homeland." (The Wiles Of The Devil, by H A Ironside)
7 Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so how can we make a covenant with you?”
8 But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”
And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
9 So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who werebeyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. 15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
“The Gibeonites deceived the Israelites with their different spirit (Joshua 9:8), as well as with their food and clothing (Joshua 9:12-13). They pretended to fear Yahweh, too, the highest motive for allying with Israel ( Joshua 9:9-10)..." (Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable) "They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves." (Matthew7:15b) Satan "uses all kinds of schemes to mislead them here on earth and to turn them aside from full obedience to the will of God. He never comes to a Christian presenting himself in his true character.” (The Wiles Of The Devil, by H A Ironside)
It appears that their own safety was the motive, but Satan's mission is to kill, steal, and destroy. With the deceit of the children of Israel, they could only affect the timing of their own first death, not the second one. Yet they could affect the eternal destiny of individuals in the congregation of Israel. I am certain that this event will have ramifications for future generations.
"The writer clearly identified the reason the Gibeonites were successful in deceiving Israel. The Israelites 'did not ask for the counsel of the Lord" (Joshua 9:14; Numbers 27:21; cf. James 4:2). Though they had learned that obedience was necessary for victory at Jericho and Ai, they had not yet learned that they needed divine guidance at every step (cf. John 15:5)." (Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable)
"And is there not much of gospel here? Is it not thus, that our Almighty Joshua sends out his ambassadors to propound pardon, mercy, and peace, in the blood of his cross, and prays sinners in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God? 2 Corinthians 5:20." (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary) Let us use great diligence in prayer and conversation with them before allowing them to join the church. If a man seeks union with the church but his heart is set on the earthly, not the Heavenly Land, you can know it. "Whatever plan he suggests will be seen in its true light if tested by what God has revealed in His Word: 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them' (Isa. 8:20)." (The Wiles Of The Devil, by H A Ironside) If you still have concerns, ask the Lord Himself!
Joshua 9: Gibeonite Identity Revealed / Oath Kept by Israel
16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them.
“Truth is the daughter of time: falsehood will out at length. Some is so thin, that it may be presently seen through: and some again so closely and covertly carried, that it appeareth not till after a time.” (Trapp) “Like a good chess player [Satan] is always trying to manoeuvre you into a position where you can save your castle only by losing your bishop.” (C. S. Lewis)
17 Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim. 18 But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had promised them.”
The torah for non-Canaanites was allowed for these Canaanites for the oath sake. ”When you go near a city to fight against it, then proclaim an offer of peace to it. And it shall be that if they accept your offer of peace, and open to you, then all the people who are found in it shall be placed under tribute to you, and serve you." (Deuteronomy 20:10-11)
22 Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell near us? 23 Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves…. “You shall not escape the curse of God which by divine sentence belongs to all the Canaanites; but only change the quality of it, you shall feel that curse of bondage, which is proper to your race by virtue of that ancient decree, Genesis 9:25.” (Wesley's Explanatory Notes)
Do you remember the events in Noah’s day when Noah's youngest son revealed his father's sin to his brothers? “When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. So he said, 'Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.' He also said, 'Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.'” This was fulfillment of that prophecy, “which yet afterwards God turned to a blessing. See on Ezra 2:43, Genesis 9:25, and observe that it was literally fulfilled in these Canaanites.” (John Trapp)
24 So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” 26 So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. 27 And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, in the place which He would choose, even to this day.
“The quality of the Gibeonites intelligence exceeded that of what we often get from the CIA today.” (Robert Rayburn) They knew of the judgment of Yahweh on the inhabitants of the land. In verse 24, they are quoting Deuteronomy 7:1-2… and they knew the import of the Israelitish oath made in the name of their God.
“Let us learn to reverence an oath, and to keep close to our solemn engagements. We ought to stand by our word, and be punctual to our bargain, though it should be to our loss. The Israelites did so, they observed their oath, and it was well they did; for the Lord punished the breach, as we find in 2 Samuel 21:1. There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year, for Saul and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. It is an undoubted maxim, that men lose more by making God their enemy, than they can possibly gain by any fraudulent methods. Therefore, let integrity and uprightness guide and preserve us; remembering it is the character of one that shall inhabit God’s holy hill, that he walketh uprightly, speaketh the truth in his heart; and though he sweareth to his own hurt, yet he changeth not. Psalms 15.” (Sutcliffe)
“All in all, this was an acceptable outcome for the Gibeonites; certainly preferable to death and extermination! Verse 10 suggests that they had the foresight to expect that they were trading freedom and status for life.” (Robert Rayburn) And perhaps, having the sentence of death postponed and being in the proximity of the tabernacle and subsequently the temple of Yahweh by means of their servitude, some of them would hear more of the God of Israel and be saved.
“Today God has commissioned His servants to go to all men everywhere, ‘preaching peace by Jesus Christ.’ All who receive the message in faith, who bow in repentance at the feet of the risen Saviour are justified by faith and have peace with God. For Christ has made peace by the blood of His Cross. Those thus saved are united to the Church of the living God and become in turn His messengers to carry the gospel to others.
There is no occasion for deception or hypocrisy, which can only result in greater disaster, for ‘the hypocrite’s hope shall perish.’ But when there is frank confession of sin, God stands ready in faithfulness and justice to forgive all sin and to cleanse from all unrighteousness. None can be too vile for Christ. None need fear to come to Him for salvation, for He has said, ‘Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.’ Blessed are they who take Him at His Word and trust His grace!” (H. A. Ironside)