Making A Treaty With Gibeon

The various groups in Canaan had heard about Israel’s victories on the east side of Jordan, and they had seen that Jericho’s walls were not an effective defense.  They had also hear how the people of Ai had defeated them in a preemptive strike against a small force, but had been defeated by the main force.  While the Israelites were at Mount Ebal setting up their monument, the inhabitants of the northern areas formed a coalition they hoped would be able to defeat Israel, as Joshua 9:1-2 describes.  “And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.”

 

The southern groups did not yet see Israel as a serious threat, but the people of Gibeon, a few miles to the southwest, were too close not to be concerned.  Knowing they could not expect to defeat Israel, the Gibeonites decided to see if they couldn’t make a treaty.  Since Israel was hunting for a land of their own, it was obvious they would not want to give up land to make an agreement with the people who already held it.  The Gibeonites decided to pretend to be from far off so Israel would be more willing to make such a treaty.  Joshua 9:3-6 describes their subterfuge.  “And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.  And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.”

 

The Israelites were suspicious, but examination of their supplies and equipment convinced they to agree to the treaty, sa Joshua 9:7-15 describes.  “And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?  And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

 

And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.   Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.  This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.  And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.  And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.”

 

Depending on their own intelligence, Joshua and the leaders did not ask God for wisdom.  They knew that in Deuteronomy 7:2, God had commanded, “And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them,” but they believed these people were from a far country so they didn’t worry about it.  Three days later, they learned they had been lied to, in Joshua 9:16-17.  “And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.  And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.”

 

Some of the people were angry and wanted to kill them for having lied, but the rulers refused, as Joshua 9:18-29 tells us.  “And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.  But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.  This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.  And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.”

 

Even though they had been lied to, they were obligated to keep their agreement, as Proverbs 6:1-2 tells us.  “My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.”  Because they had lied, the Gibeonites would be cursed, but Israel would keep their agreement, as Joshua 9:22-23 states.  “And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?  Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”

 

The Gibeonites accepted Joshua’s terms quickly, agreeing to provide firewood and haul water for the people as a condition of keeping their land, because even being slaves would have beaten being dead, and this was much better than being slaves.  Joshua 9:24-27 describes their response.  “And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.  And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.  And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.  And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.”