Joshua 9 Study Notes: The Gibeonites Deceive Israel
As the kings of Canaan band together to fight Israel, the Gibeonites pose as travelers from a distant country and trick Israel into a peace treaty. Israel’s men fail to ask the LORD, but when the lie comes out the leaders keep their oath, sparing Gibeon and making its people cut wood and draw water.
General
True or False: Three days after making the treaty, Israel learned that the Gibeonites were close neighbors.
Answer: True
This is true. Just three days after the treaty was made, Israel discovered that the Gibeonites lived nearby, and by the third day of travel they had reached their towns, Gibeon among them (9:16-17). The trick came to light almost at once, but the oath had already been sworn. Proverbs warns that a naive person believes whatever he is told (Proverbs 14:15) and that a hasty promise becomes a trap when it is thought through only afterward (Proverbs 20:25).
- Joshua 9:16-17 (BSB)“Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.”Three days after the treaty, Israel finds out that the Gibeonites live nearby and reaches their towns.
- Proverbs 14:15 (BSB)“The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.”The naive person believes every word, while the prudent person watches his steps.
- Proverbs 20:25 (BSB)“It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.”A rash commitment becomes a trap when its consequences are only weighed later.
Theological
True or False: Only three days after the treaty was sworn, the Israelites discovered that the Gibeonites lived among them.
Answer: True
This is true. Three days after the covenant, Israel learned the truth, and by the third day of their march they had arrived at Gibeon and its sister cities (9:16-17). The deception was short-lived, but the sworn obligation was already in force. The episode illustrates the naivety Proverbs warns against (Proverbs 14:15) and the snare of a rash commitment reconsidered too late (Proverbs 20:25).
- Joshua 9:16-17 (BSB)“Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.”Three days after the treaty, Israel finds out that the Gibeonites live nearby and reaches their towns.
- Proverbs 14:15 (BSB)“The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.”The naive person believes every word, while the prudent person watches his steps.
- Proverbs 20:25 (BSB)“It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.”A rash commitment becomes a trap when its consequences are only weighed later.
General
Which reports about the LORD did the envoys say had reached them (9:9-10)?
Answer: His deeds in Egypt and against Sihon and Og
The envoys said they had come, drawn by the LORD’s renown. They spoke of what He had done in Egypt and of His defeat of two Amorite kings east of the Jordan: Sihon, who ruled in Heshbon, and Og, who ruled in Bashan (9:9-10). These were older events; they did not mention Jericho or Ai, though 9:3 says they had heard about those. Rahab had heard the same reports and confessed that the LORD is God in heaven and on earth (2:9-11). When God first gave Sihon into Israel’s hand, He promised that the nations would hear and tremble (Deuteronomy 2:24-25).
- Joshua 9:9-10 (BSB)““Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.”The envoys say the LORD’s fame drew them, citing His acts in Egypt and against the two Amorite kings.
- Joshua 2:9-11 (BSB)“and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.”Rahab had heard the same reports of Egypt and of Sihon and Og and confessed the LORD as God.
- Deuteronomy 2:24-25 (BSB)““Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.””When He gave Sihon into Israel’s hand, God promised that the reports of it would make the nations tremble.
Theological
What acts of the LORD did the Gibeonite envoys cite as the reason for their coming (9:9-10)?
Answer: His deeds in Egypt and against Sihon and Og
The envoys attribute their journey to the renown of the LORD, citing the exodus from Egypt and the defeat of the two rulers of Heshbon and Bashan, Sihon and Og, in the Transjordan (9:9-10). These earlier, more distant events suited their pose as far-off travelers, and they said nothing of Jericho and Ai, which 9:3 shows they knew about. The same reports had moved Rahab to confess the LORD as God of heaven and earth (2:9-11), fulfilling God’s word that the defeat of Sihon would spread dread of Israel among the nations (Deuteronomy 2:24-25).
- Joshua 9:9-10 (BSB)““Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.”The envoys say the LORD’s fame drew them, citing His acts in Egypt and against the two Amorite kings.
- Joshua 2:9-11 (BSB)“and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.”Rahab had heard the same reports of Egypt and of Sihon and Og and confessed the LORD as God.
- Deuteronomy 2:24-25 (BSB)““Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle. This very day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon all the nations under heaven. They will hear the reports of you and tremble in anguish because of you.””When He gave Sihon into Israel’s hand, God promised that the reports of it would make the nations tremble.
General
How did the Gibeonites try to convince Israel that they came from far away (9:3-6)?
Answer: They wore shabby clothes and carried stale bread and old gear
The Gibeonites had heard what Joshua did at Jericho and Ai, and the text says plainly that they used deception (9:3-4). They loaded their donkeys with old sacks and patched wineskins, put on worn sandals and ragged clothes, and brought bread that had gone dry and moldy. Then they came to Joshua at Gilgal claiming to be from a distant country and asked for a treaty (9:5-6). Distance mattered because the law allowed Israel to offer peace only to cities far away, not to the nations living in the land (Deuteronomy 20:15). The trick worked: Gibeon became the only city in the land to make peace with Israel (11:19).
- Joshua 9:3-6 (BSB)“But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.””Having heard about Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites disguise themselves as travelers from far away and ask for a treaty.
- Deuteronomy 20:15 (BSB)“This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.”The law allowed Israel to offer peace terms only to cities far away, which is why the Gibeonites pretended to be distant.
- Joshua 11:19 (BSB)“No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.”Gibeon’s scheme succeeded in making it the only city that made peace with Israel.
Theological
What ruse did the Gibeonites use to pass themselves off as a distant people (9:3-6)?
Answer: They wore shabby clothes and carried stale bread and old gear
Gibeon’s response to the fall of Jericho and Ai is calculated deceit (9:3-4): worn sacks and mended wineskins on their donkeys, patched sandals, threadbare garments, and dry, moldy bread, all staged to support their claim of a long journey when they came to Gilgal seeking a treaty (9:5-6). The disguise targeted the distinction in Deuteronomy 20:15, which permitted peace terms only for cities far away and not for the nations of the land. It succeeded, making Gibeon the lone city to secure peace with Israel (11:19).
- Joshua 9:3-6 (BSB)“But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.””Having heard about Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites disguise themselves as travelers from far away and ask for a treaty.
- Deuteronomy 20:15 (BSB)“This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.”The law allowed Israel to offer peace terms only to cities far away, which is why the Gibeonites pretended to be distant.
- Joshua 11:19 (BSB)“No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.”Gibeon’s scheme succeeded in making it the only city that made peace with Israel.
General
How did the Gibeonites explain why they had deceived Israel (9:24-25)?
Answer: They feared for their lives because of God’s command to Moses
The Gibeonites answered that they had been plainly told that the LORD had commanded Moses to give Israel the whole land and destroy all its inhabitants, so they were terrified for their lives (9:24). They then placed themselves in Joshua’s hands, asking him to do whatever seemed right (9:25). They had heard of the very command God gave about the nations of the land, the Hivites included (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). Like Rahab, they took the LORD’s word seriously (2:9-11). Their method was a lie, but their surrender brought them mercy, as Rahab’s household had been spared and lived among Israel (6:25).
- Joshua 9:24-25 (BSB)“The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.””The Gibeonites explain that fear of the LORD’s command drove them, and they place themselves in Joshua’s hands.
- Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (BSB)“When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”This is the command the Gibeonites had heard of: the nations of the land, the Hivites included, were to be devoted to destruction.
- Joshua 2:9-11 (BSB)“and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.”Rahab likewise believed the reports of the LORD’s acts and feared Him.
- Joshua 6:25 (BSB)“And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.”Rahab’s household was spared and lived among Israel, another case of mercy to Canaanites who submitted to the LORD’s people.
Theological
What reason did the Gibeonites give for their deception (9:24-25)?
Answer: They feared for their lives because of God’s command to Moses
The Gibeonites confess that the report of the LORD’s command to Moses, to give Israel the whole land and destroy its inhabitants, filled them with fear for their lives (9:24), and they submit unconditionally to Joshua’s judgment (9:25). What they had heard was accurate: the Hivites stood among the nations under that sentence (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). Like Rahab, they credited the LORD’s word (2:9-11). Their means were deceitful, yet their submission met with mercy, as it had for Rahab’s house (6:25).
- Joshua 9:24-25 (BSB)“The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.””The Gibeonites explain that fear of the LORD’s command drove them, and they place themselves in Joshua’s hands.
- Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (BSB)“When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”This is the command the Gibeonites had heard of: the nations of the land, the Hivites included, were to be devoted to destruction.
- Joshua 2:9-11 (BSB)“and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites across the Jordan, whom you devoted to destruction. When we heard this, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in the heavens above and on the earth below.”Rahab likewise believed the reports of the LORD’s acts and feared Him.
- Joshua 6:25 (BSB)“And Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her father’s household and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent to spy out Jericho. So she has lived among the Israelites to this day.”Rahab’s household was spared and lived among Israel, another case of mercy to Canaanites who submitted to the LORD’s people.
General
What did Joshua declare after confronting the Gibeonites about their deceit (9:22-23)?
Answer: They were cursed to serve always at the house of his God
Joshua called the Gibeonites and asked why they had deceived Israel by saying they lived far away when they actually lived nearby (9:22). He then pronounced a curse on them: they would always cut wood and carry water for his God’s house (9:23). Their lie had a lasting consequence, since God’s law forbids lying and deceiving (Leviticus 19:11) and the LORD detests lying lips (Proverbs 12:22). Yet the sentence also placed them in service connected to the worship of the LORD.
- Joshua 9:22-23 (BSB)“Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.””Joshua confronts the Gibeonites over their lie and pronounces their lasting servitude.
- Leviticus 19:11 (BSB)“You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.”God’s law forbids lying and deceiving one another, the very thing Joshua charges them with.
- Proverbs 12:22 (BSB)“Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.”Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, so deceit is a real wrong, not a clever tactic.
Theological
What sentence did Joshua pronounce on the Gibeonites when he confronted their deception (9:22-23)?
Answer: They were cursed to serve always at the house of his God
Joshua charges the Gibeonites with deceit, claiming to be distant while dwelling in Israel’s midst (9:22), and pronounces a curse: perpetual service cutting wood and carrying water for his God’s house (9:23). The deception is treated as genuine wrongdoing, as the law against lying and deceiving (Leviticus 19:11) and the LORD’s abhorrence of lying lips (Proverbs 12:22) make clear. Yet the penalty binds them to the service of Israel’s sanctuary, an ironic outcome for a Canaanite people.
- Joshua 9:22-23 (BSB)“Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.””Joshua confronts the Gibeonites over their lie and pronounces their lasting servitude.
- Leviticus 19:11 (BSB)“You must not steal. You must not lie or deceive one another.”God’s law forbids lying and deceiving one another, the very thing Joshua charges them with.
- Proverbs 12:22 (BSB)“Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.”Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, so deceit is a real wrong, not a clever tactic.
General
True or False: Once the deception was exposed, Joshua allowed the Israelites to put the Gibeonites to death.
Answer: False
This is false. Joshua rescued the Gibeonites from Israel’s hands, so they were not killed (9:26). That same day he assigned them to cut wood and carry water for the community and for the LORD’s altar in the place God would choose (9:27), language that recalls Moses’ teaching about the one place where Israel would worship (Deuteronomy 12:5). Far from being destroyed, Gibeon came under Israel’s protection; in the very next chapter it sends to Joshua for help (10:6).
- Joshua 9:26-27 (BSB)“So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.”Joshua rescues the Gibeonites from Israel and assigns them to serve the congregation and the LORD’s altar.
- Deuteronomy 12:5 (BSB)“Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.”The phrase about the place the LORD would choose echoes Moses’ instruction about the one place of worship.
- Joshua 10:6 (BSB)“Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.””In the next chapter Gibeon looks to Joshua for rescue, showing it now lived under Israel’s protection.
Theological
True or False: After the deception came to light, Joshua permitted Israel to kill the Gibeonites.
Answer: False
This is false. Joshua delivered the Gibeonites from Israel’s hands and they were spared (9:26), being appointed that day to serve the congregation and the altar of the LORD at the place of His choosing (9:27), a phrase drawn from Deuteronomy’s language for the one sanctuary (Deuteronomy 12:5). Spared and bound by covenant, Gibeon now stands under Israel’s protection and appeals to Joshua when attacked (10:6).
- Joshua 9:26-27 (BSB)“So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.”Joshua rescues the Gibeonites from Israel and assigns them to serve the congregation and the LORD’s altar.
- Deuteronomy 12:5 (BSB)“Instead, you must seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to establish as a dwelling for His Name, and there you must go.”The phrase about the place the LORD would choose echoes Moses’ instruction about the one place of worship.
- Joshua 10:6 (BSB)“Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come quickly and save us! Help us, because all the kings of the Amorites from the hill country have joined forces against us.””In the next chapter Gibeon looks to Joshua for rescue, showing it now lived under Israel’s protection.
General
How did the Canaanite kings respond when news of Israel’s victories reached them (9:1-2)?
Answer: They joined their armies to make war on Joshua and Israel
When news of Israel’s victories spread, rulers from the coastal plain, the western foothills, and the highlands gathered together to fight Israel and its leader (9:1-2). They answered the news with united resistance rather than surrender. Earlier, when these rulers heard of the LORD drying up the Jordan, their courage had melted away (5:1), yet their fear did not lead them to seek peace. A larger alliance in the north would later gather in the same way at Merom (11:4-5).
- Joshua 9:1-2 (BSB)“Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.”The kings across the land west of the Jordan hear of Israel’s victories and form an alliance.
- Joshua 5:1 (BSB)“Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.”These same kings had already been struck with fear when they heard how the LORD dried up the Jordan.
- Joshua 11:4-5 (BSB)“So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots. All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.”A later northern alliance gathers against Israel in the same way, showing the pattern of united opposition.
Theological
What was the response of the Canaanite kings to Israel’s victories (9:1-2)?
Answer: They joined their armies to make war on Joshua and Israel
News of Israel’s advance provokes a coalition: the rulers of the Mediterranean coast, the Shephelah, and the central highlands unite in arms against Israel and its leader (9:1-2). Their earlier terror at the Jordan crossing (5:1) produced not submission but hardened resistance, a pattern repeated when the northern kings mass at Merom (11:4-5). Against this backdrop Gibeon’s very different response in the rest of the chapter stands out.
- Joshua 9:1-2 (BSB)“Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.”The kings across the land west of the Jordan hear of Israel’s victories and form an alliance.
- Joshua 5:1 (BSB)“Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and their spirits failed for fear of the Israelites.”These same kings had already been struck with fear when they heard how the LORD dried up the Jordan.
- Joshua 11:4-5 (BSB)“So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots. All these kings joined forces and encamped at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.”A later northern alliance gathers against Israel in the same way, showing the pattern of united opposition.
General
According to 9:14, what did Israel’s men fail to do before making the treaty?
Answer: They did not ask the LORD for direction
Israel’s men tasted the visitors’ provisions and judged by what they could see, but they did not seek guidance from the LORD (9:14). God had already given Joshua a way to ask Him: Eleazar the priest would seek the LORD’s decision for him by the Urim, a means God gave the priests for learning His will (Numbers 27:21). Scripture warns against relying on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) and rebukes people who make alliances without asking God (Isaiah 30:1-2).
- Joshua 9:14 (BSB)“Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.”Israel’s men rely on examining the visitors’ supplies instead of inquiring of the LORD.
- Numbers 27:21 (BSB)“He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.””God had provided for Joshua to seek His decision through Eleazar the priest, so this guidance was available.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB)“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”Scripture calls God’s people to trust Him rather than lean on their own understanding.
- Isaiah 30:1-2 (BSB)““Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.”The LORD rebukes those who form alliances without asking His advice.
Theological
What failure does 9:14 identify in Israel’s handling of the Gibeonite envoys?
Answer: They did not ask the LORD for direction
The narrator’s verdict is pointed: Israel’s men examined the evidence of the provisions yet failed to inquire of the LORD (9:14). This neglected the very means God had appointed for Joshua’s leadership, inquiry through Eleazar by the Urim (Numbers 27:21). Judging by sight rather than seeking God is the error Proverbs warns against (Proverbs 3:5-6) and that Isaiah condemns in alliances made without the LORD’s counsel (Isaiah 30:1-2).
- Joshua 9:14 (BSB)“Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.”Israel’s men rely on examining the visitors’ supplies instead of inquiring of the LORD.
- Numbers 27:21 (BSB)“He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.””God had provided for Joshua to seek His decision through Eleazar the priest, so this guidance was available.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB)“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”Scripture calls God’s people to trust Him rather than lean on their own understanding.
- Isaiah 30:1-2 (BSB)““Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.”The LORD rebukes those who form alliances without asking His advice.
General
Why did the Israelites not attack the Gibeonite cities (9:18-20)?
Answer: The leaders had bound themselves by an oath in the LORD’s name
When Israel reached the Gibeonite towns they held back, because their leaders had sworn in the LORD’s name (9:18). The whole community complained about their leaders, but the leaders replied that they could not harm the Gibeonites; breaking the oath would bring God’s anger on Israel, so they would let them live (9:19-20). An oath in God’s name was binding even though it had been gained by a trick, because breaking it would dishonor His name (Leviticus 19:12). God’s people keep their word even when it costs them (Psalm 15:4). Centuries later, when King Saul tried to kill the Gibeonites, the LORD sent a famine on Israel because of it (2 Samuel 21:1-2).
- Joshua 9:18-20 (BSB)“But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.””Israel refrains from attacking, the congregation grumbles, and the leaders explain that breaking the oath would bring wrath.
- Leviticus 19:12 (BSB)“You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.”Breaking an oath made in God’s name would be swearing falsely and profaning His name.
- Psalm 15:4 (BSB)“who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,”The one who may dwell with God keeps a costly oath rather than revising it.
- 2 Samuel 21:1-2 (BSB)“During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)”When Saul later tried to kill the Gibeonites, the LORD sent famine, showing the oath still bound Israel.
Theological
What restrained Israel from attacking the Gibeonite cities once the deception was known (9:18-20)?
Answer: The leaders had bound themselves by an oath in the LORD’s name
Israel stayed its hand because the leaders had sworn in the name of the LORD (9:18). Despite the congregation’s grumbling, the leaders held that the oath forbade them to touch the Gibeonites and that violating it would bring wrath (9:19-20). An oath sworn in God’s name remained binding even though procured by fraud, since breaking it would profane His name (Leviticus 19:12); the righteous keep a costly oath (Psalm 15:4). Scripture later confirms its force: Saul’s zealous attempt to destroy the Gibeonites brought a three-year famine under David (2 Samuel 21:1-2).
- Joshua 9:18-20 (BSB)“But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.””Israel refrains from attacking, the congregation grumbles, and the leaders explain that breaking the oath would bring wrath.
- Leviticus 19:12 (BSB)“You must not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.”Breaking an oath made in God’s name would be swearing falsely and profaning His name.
- Psalm 15:4 (BSB)“who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath,”The one who may dwell with God keeps a costly oath rather than revising it.
- 2 Samuel 21:1-2 (BSB)“During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.” At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)”When Saul later tried to kill the Gibeonites, the LORD sent famine, showing the oath still bound Israel.
General
Why did Israel’s men hesitate when the visitors asked for a treaty (9:7)?
Answer: They suspected the visitors might live close by
Israel’s men told the Hivites that they might be neighbors, and if so, Israel could not enter into a treaty with them (9:7). This shows that Israel knew God’s command. Before they entered the land, God had forbidden them to enter into any treaty with the nations living there, and the Hivites are on that list (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). God warned that such agreements would trap Israel into worshiping false gods (Exodus 23:32-33; 34:12). Israel’s suspicion was correct; the failure came when they did not follow it up by asking the LORD.
- Joshua 9:7 (BSB)“But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?””Israel’s men voice their suspicion that the Hivites may be neighbors, which would make a treaty impossible.
- Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (BSB)“When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”God forbade any treaty with the nations of the land, and the Hivites are named among them.
- Exodus 23:32-33 (BSB)“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.””The LORD warned that covenants with the people of the land would lead Israel to sin by serving their gods.
- Exodus 34:12 (BSB)“Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.”Israel was told to be careful not to make a treaty with the land’s inhabitants because it would become a snare.
Theological
What concern lies behind the Israelites’ question to the Hivites in 9:7?
Answer: They suspected the visitors might live close by
Israel’s men raise the decisive issue: if these Hivites live nearby, a covenant with them is ruled out (9:7). The objection reflects the Mosaic command forbidding any treaty with the seven nations of Canaan, the Hivites among them (Deuteronomy 7:1-2), a prohibition grounded in the danger that such covenants would draw Israel into idolatry and become a snare (Exodus 23:32-33; 34:12). The suspicion was sound; the lapse lay in not pressing it before the LORD.
- Joshua 9:7 (BSB)“But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?””Israel’s men voice their suspicion that the Hivites may be neighbors, which would make a treaty impossible.
- Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (BSB)“When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”God forbade any treaty with the nations of the land, and the Hivites are named among them.
- Exodus 23:32-33 (BSB)“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods. They must not remain in your land, lest they cause you to sin against Me. For if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.””The LORD warned that covenants with the people of the land would lead Israel to sin by serving their gods.
- Exodus 34:12 (BSB)“Be careful not to make a treaty with the inhabitants of the land you are entering, lest they become a snare in your midst.”Israel was told to be careful not to make a treaty with the land’s inhabitants because it would become a snare.
General
What role did the leaders decide the Gibeonites would fill (9:21)?
Answer: Cutting wood and drawing water for the community
The leaders proposed letting the Gibeonites live but having them cut wood and draw water for all Israel’s community, and the leaders held to this decision (9:21). This kept the oath while putting the Gibeonites in a place of service. Such work was already familiar in Israel: when Moses renewed the covenant, he described foreigners who chopped wood and hauled water standing with Israel before the LORD (Deuteronomy 29:10-11). For distant cities that accepted peace, the law likewise had the people serve Israel as laborers (Deuteronomy 20:11), the very status the Gibeonites had pretended to qualify for.
- Joshua 9:21 (BSB)“They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.”The leaders decide to spare the Gibeonites and assign them to labor for the whole congregation.
- Deuteronomy 29:10-11 (BSB)“All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel, your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—”Moses pictured foreigners who cut wood and drew water standing with Israel before the LORD at the covenant renewal.
- Deuteronomy 20:11 (BSB)“If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.”For distant cities that accepted peace, the law had the people serve Israel as laborers, the status the Gibeonites had pretended to qualify for.
Theological
How did the leaders propose to honor the oath while dealing with the Gibeonites (9:21)?
Answer: Cutting wood and drawing water for the community
The leaders’ resolution spares the Gibeonites’ lives in keeping with the oath while assigning them menial service, cutting wood and drawing water for all the congregation, and they kept their word (9:21). Such laborers had a recognized place within the covenant community: Moses included foreigners who cut wood and drew water among those standing before the LORD at the covenant renewal (Deuteronomy 29:10-11). Deuteronomy 20:11 likewise prescribes forced labor for distant cities that accepted peace terms, the category the Gibeonites had feigned to belong to.
- Joshua 9:21 (BSB)“They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.”The leaders decide to spare the Gibeonites and assign them to labor for the whole congregation.
- Deuteronomy 29:10-11 (BSB)“All of you are standing today before the LORD your God—you leaders of tribes, elders, officials, and all the men of Israel, your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—”Moses pictured foreigners who cut wood and drew water standing with Israel before the LORD at the covenant renewal.
- Deuteronomy 20:11 (BSB)“If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.”For distant cities that accepted peace, the law had the people serve Israel as laborers, the status the Gibeonites had pretended to qualify for.