The Canaanite Kings Unite
Study note
News of Israel's victories at Jericho and Ai spread throughout the land. The kings in the hills, valleys, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel together. These included the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. This was the first time the Canaanite kings tried to work together against Israel.
1 The kings west of the Jordan got word of what happened. These were kings in the hill country, the lowlands, and along the whole Mediterranean coast up to Lebanon. They included the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 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;
2 they all united and formed one massive army to fight Joshua and Israel. That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
The Gibeonites' Trick
Study note
While most Canaanite cities prepared for war, the people of Gibeon came up with a different plan. Gibeon was actually a large and important city only about six miles from Ai. The Gibeonites disguised themselves as travelers from a distant land. They wore worn-out clothes and patched sandals, carried dry and moldy bread, and brought cracked wineskins. They went to the Israelite camp at Gilgal and asked for a peace treaty, claiming they had traveled a great distance. The Israelites examined their supplies but made a critical mistake: they did not ask God for guidance. Joshua made a peace treaty with them and swore an oath to let them live.
3 But the people of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 came up with a sneaky plan. They loaded their donkeys with beat-up sacks and old, patched-up wineskins, disguising themselves as travelers who had been on the road a very long time. 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;
5 They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. All the bread they packed was dried out and crumbling. And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6 They traveled to Joshua's camp at Gilgal and told him and the Israelites, "We have traveled here from a far-off country. Please make a peace agreement with us." 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.
7 The Israelites were suspicious. They said to the Hivites, "How do we know you do not live nearby? We are not allowed to make a treaty with you if you do." And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8 They told Joshua, "We are willing to serve you." Joshua pressed them: "Who exactly are you, and where are you from?" And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9 They answered, "We traveled from a land very far away because we have heard about the fame of the Lord your God. We learned about everything he did in Egypt." 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,
10 "We also heard what God did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. He beat King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan from Ashtaroth." 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.
11 "Our leaders and everyone back home told us to pack food for the trip and go meet you. They said to tell you, 'We want to be your servants. Please make a treaty with us.'" 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.
12 "Look at this bread -- it was warm and fresh the day we left home. But look how dry and crumbly it is now." 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:
13 "These wineskins were new when we filled them. Now they are cracked and falling apart. Our clothes and sandals are worn to shreds from the extremely long trip." 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.
14 The Israelites looked over their supplies but made the mistake of not asking the Lord about it. And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
15 Joshua made peace with the Gibeonites and agreed to let them live. The Israelite leaders sealed the deal with a solemn oath. 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.
The Truth Is Discovered
Study note
Three days later, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites were actually their neighbors living nearby. When the Israelites arrived at the Gibeonite cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim, they could not attack them because of the sworn oath. The people grumbled against their leaders for making this treaty. But the leaders said they had given their word before the Lord and could not break it. Instead, they decided the Gibeonites would serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the community.
16 Just three days after making the peace deal, the Israelites found out that the Gibeonites lived right nearby. 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.
17 The Israelites marched out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 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 Kirjath-jearim.
18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders had sworn an oath to them in the Lord's name. The entire community was upset with the leaders for this. 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.
19 The leaders told the people, "We made a binding oath to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. We cannot lay a finger on them." 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.
20 "Here is what we will do: we will let them live so the Lord does not punish us for breaking our oath." 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.
21 The leaders decided, "Let them live, but they will serve the whole community as woodcutters and water carriers." And that is exactly what happened. 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.
Joshua Confronts the Gibeonites
Study note
Joshua called the Gibeonites and confronted them about their lie. They openly admitted they had deceived Israel because they feared for their lives. They had heard how God commanded Moses to give Israel the entire land and to destroy all its inhabitants. The Gibeonites put themselves at Joshua's mercy, saying he could do whatever he thought was right. Joshua spared their lives but made them permanent woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for God's altar. This arrangement continued for generations.
22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and confronted them: "Why did you deceive us? You said you came from far away, but you live right here next to us." 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?
23 "Because of this, you are now under a curse. From now on, you will always be servants -- cutting wood and hauling water for the house of my God." 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.
24 The Gibeonites explained to Joshua, "We heard that the Lord your God told his servant Moses to give you this whole land and wipe out everyone living here. We were terrified for our lives, so we did what we did." 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.
25 "Now we are completely in your hands. Do whatever you think is right and fair." And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 So Joshua protected them and would not allow the Israelites to kill them. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27 That day Joshua made the Gibeonites permanent woodcutters and water carriers. They would serve the community and the Lord's altar at whatever place God would choose. They still serve in this way today. 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.