Encounter with the Gibeonites

Joshua 9

This narrative is an entertaining read and has all the attributes of a great story including a dramatic conflict, the discovery of a conspiracy, a hero and a villain, and a grand resolution with a delightfully ironic ending. This is a true story but in its telling we see the skill of the writer as he captures our imagination! Since it is scripture, we take seriously the promise that “All scripture is profitable … for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16) and make spiritual application to the place where we stand right now.

Let’s review the narrative. The Gibeonites actually lived about 25 miles from where the Israelites are camped. They are aware of the conquest of Jericho and Ai (verse 3) and are also aware of Israel’s foreign policy including Moses’ command to destroy all the inhabitants of Canaan (Deuteronomy 20:16-18). Likewise, they have heard of the directive that the Israelites may offer terms of peace to cities who are “…very far from you, which are not cities of the nations here” (Deuteronomy 20:15). Apparently believing resistance is futile, the elders of Gibeon (verse 11), devise a scheme to trick Joshua and the sons of Israel into granting a covenant or treaty of peace. Dressing themselves to make it appear they have travelled a long distance, all goes well as the ‘diplomats’ of Gibeon meet with Joshua. Joshua expresses some concern that they might be imposters and asks a direct question, “Who are you and where do you come from?” (verse 8). They claim to have come from a long distance and also state that they have respect for the God of Israel (verse 9). After three days the sons of Israel discover the truth but are restrained from revenge because of the covenant they previously made. When Joshua confronts them with the truth, the Gibeonite diplomats make their defense and throw themselves at the mercy of Joshua. Joshua proclaims the curse and defines the terms of the treaty or covenant between the Gibeonites and the Israelites. They are destined to be slaves forever for the Israelites, but they may not be killed.

Application #1. Most commentators will point to verse 14 where the text plainly states that the men of Israel, “… did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.” And that is something very relevant to our lives: we have the completed canon of Scripture and therefore do not expect audible or an extra-biblical ‘word’ on what we ought to do. However, we do have an all-sufficient Bible to consult when making life’s many decisions. Granted, some decisions require wisdom guided by general scriptural principles rather than specific direction. For example, when our single brothers ponder marriage, they shouldn’t search the Scripture for her name! But searching the Bible for principles and concepts pertaining to the marriage relationship would be wise. Just as the decision to make treaty with the Gibeonites must have seemed easy to Joshua, some decisions seem obvious to us. Other decisions we agonize and struggle through. Yet taking a casual attitude toward scriptural admonitions and commands are dangerous on both ‘easy’ and ‘hard’ decisions! Joshua and the sons of Israel were, in fact, unwise because they did not ask the counsel of the LORD. We, also, would be unwise if we fail to look for and follow the counsel of the LORD given through the Bible. Sometimes we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2).

Application #2. Lies and deception may fool men for a time but eventually the truth will come to light. Lies and deception are sin, and sin has its eternal and temporal consequences - for the Gibeonites they were condemned to slavery. For us, we may enjoy the fruit of sin for a time but we should remember the law of the harvest – what things we do now we also will receive back in the future (Hosea 8:7).

Application #3. There is no mention of a king of Gibeon. Those who devised and implemented the plan were only, “our elders and all the inhabitants of our country” (verse 11). In verse 1 and 2 of Joshua chapter 9, we see that ‘Kings’ of Canaan met together and allied themselves with “one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel”. I am thinking that the kings of Canaan were fighting out of pride while the elders of Gibeon were acting out of concern for the people who would possibly suffer and perish if they joined the Canaanite alliance. Here we see an example of common grace where wisdom is found in many counselors rather than in concentrated in one, possibly prideful, man. So we too ought to seek godly counsel when facing decisions.

Application #4. We have a great reminder of the sovereignty of God in not only events of nations but also in the hearts of men and women. One might think that these kings who have assembled an alliance of war against Israel might have been impressed with the fall of two of the major cities in central Canaan but, to the contrary, we see that great principle of Scripture where God does indeed harden the hearts of the proud and soften the hearts of the humble. We have the kings of Ai and Bethel who stubbornly fight and the dear Rahab who submits, makes the great confession, and is saved!

So what do we make of these Gibeonites who decide to ‘trick’ their way into peace? They did lie and in the end they admitted to their lie, but were they merely elaborating in that lie when they stated that they came, “… because of the fame of the LORD your God…” (verse 9) or were they stating something profound? I would like to suggest that this statement was, in fact, a statement acknowledging the sovereignty of the one true God and furthermore, a statement of submission to Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joshua.

They decided against joining the other nations in a defensive war against the Israelites. It seems obvious that they had a sense that their destruction was sure and I see that as recognition of their belief that the scriptures were true - they were aware of the Lord’s promise to Moses since they also confessed 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 before you.” They were also aware of the exemption for cities, “which are not cities of the nations here” (Deuteronomy 20:15). I can only presume that, in their minds, the only choice was between trickery and war. There is no great mystery as to why they chose the former! Was there another choice that was offered? We are not told that in this narrative but we get a hint from chapter 2 where Rahab turned to Jehovah and received mercy. In fact, the language used by Rahab and the language used by these Gibeonite diplomats are similar (compare Joshua 2:10-11 and what the diplomats said in Joshua 9:9-10). At any rate, it seems to me that they recognized their guilt and the righteous judgment of God which hung over their heads like a cloud of wrath. Their neighbors decided to rebel against the judgment of God; they decided to appeal for mercy. They received mercy upon mercy since their ‘curse’ involved serving in proximity to the true worship of the true God – imagine the opportunities as they cut wood and delivered water, “for the house of my God … and the altar of the LORD …” (verse 23 & 27). I can imagine hearing the formerly condemned Gibeonites and their descendants say, “I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10).

Application #5. The way to avoid judgment is to meet it with humility, repentance, and submission to the mercy of God. In requesting a treaty with Israel (verse 9), they were also submitting themselves and their countrymen as subjects to a stronger power, namely the conquering nation of Israel (see also verse 11 where they state, “we are your servants”) and in their submission to Israel they were also submitting themselves to God. As submissive subjects, they were officially agreeing to pay tribute and honor due their stronger partner and in exchange Israel would take responsibility for their protection. All in all, a fair deal considering the other option was extinction!

Matthew Henry helps me with this application to unbelievers:

“Unbelievers, you are also under the cloud of justice and are rightly condemned to eternal wrath. Imitate these Gibeonites, and make your peace with God in the rags of humiliation, godly sorrow, and mortification, so your iniquity shall not be your ruin. Be servants to Jesus, the blessed Joshua, and make a league with him and the Israel of God, and you shall live.”

And I say, believers, be reminded of what great mercy you have received! We came to Him in our rags; with dried out food that was not fit for consumption; with shoes that were ragged and feet weary with fruitless wandering; and with wineskins full of holes that could not hold wine. Formerly you and I were under the same cloud of righteous justice, now we are clothed in white robes with the righteousness of Christ (Revelation 22:14); we are fed the bread of life (John 6:58); we now walk in new shoes in the path of the One who also walked in our shoes as fully man and fully God (Hebrews 4:15-16); we drink from the sparkling well of living water (Song of Solomon 4:15 & John 7:37). We too, should be encouraged as servants of Christ Jesus - submitting to Him as our sovereign in exchange for His protection and for His provision.

Conclusion: The treaty had established Israel as suzerain, and Gibeon as a subject people. Joshua was thus within his rights to condemn the Gibeonites to perpetual slavery as “woodcutters and water carriers.” What happened to the Gibeonites? This small group of Canaanite people survived through the era of the Judges into the period of the Kings. Some 400 years after the treaty was made, King Saul rashly tried to exterminate them. Later they demanded David surrender seven of Saul’s descendants to be hanged to expiate Saul’s violation of the ancient treaty. David felt obligated to comply (2 Samuel 21). Even an ancient oath, sworn in God’s name, must be honored by future generations.

Robin