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More Joshua commentaries
Joshua 6:1-14
The Destruction of Jericho
Joshua 6:15-27
A shout that shattered the walls
Joshua 7:16-26
The destruction of the stolen goods
Joshua 8:1-29
Israel Destroys the Town of Ai
Joshua 8:30-35
Joshua leads the people to Shechem
Joshua 9:1-15
Tricked into believing the enemy
Joshua 9:16-27
Making your mistakes work for you
Joshua 10:1-15
The Lord wants to fight our battles
Joshua 10:16-28
Divide and conquer was Joshua’s strategy
Joshua 10:29-43
The Lord gives the victory
Joshua 11:1-15
Joshua Captures Towns in the North
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Tricked into believing the enemy
Joshua 9:1–15
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
I need to always seek the Lord before entering into any type of agreement on my own. People may try to get me to do things that only benefit them. To guard against these pressures, I must rely on God and communicate daily with Him. I need His strength to endure the pressures of l … More
As we begin chapter nine the people had just returned to their headquarters in Gilgal after hearing the Word of God read to them from Mount Ebal. It was a time of real spiritual victory, but as is often the case it was also a time for a subtle attack from Satan. When we think we have it made it is then we are the most vulnerable to the enemy’s attack.
When all the kings, beyond the Jordan in the hill country, heard of Joshua’s victories they decided to fight Israel (vv. 1-2) However Located in the hill country six miles north west of Jerusalem was Gibeon. They, along with three other neighboring towns, were convinced they could never defeat Israel in battle so they formed an alliance. After consultation they came up with an ingenious plan to send emissaries to Joshua, disguised as weary and worn travelers from a far country. They put on garments that were dirty and torn, their food was dry and moldy, and their sandals were worn thin (vv. 3-10).
When they arrived at Gilgal they told Joshua that they had come from a far country and wanted to make a peace treaty (vv. 11-13). Evidently, they were aware of the provisions in the Mosaic Law that permitted Israel to make peace with distant cities, but requiring them to destroy cities of the nearby Canaanite nations (Deuteronomy 20:10-15). Caught off guard by the cunning strategy of these Gibeonites, the leaders of Israel signed a treaty with them. In doing so, Joshua and the Israelites made two tragic mistakes. First, they accepted for evidence things that were highly questionable. Second, their biggest mistake was their failure to seek direction from God (vv. 14-15).
Application
I need to always seek the Lord before entering into any type of agreement on my own. People may try to trick me to do things that only benefit them. To guard against these pressures, I must rely on God and communicate daily with Him. I need His strength to endure the pressures of life.
Joshua 9:1-15 (English Standard Version)
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.
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