The Gibeonites heard about the defeat of their neighbors. To trick the Israelites, they wore old clothes, carried worn-out sacks, used tired animals, and even brought moldy food.
The Israelites were told to destroy all the nations in Canaan. The Gibeonites, who lived close by, pretended to come from a distant place. God had instructed His people to show mercy to strangers in the land, and the Gibeonites took advantage of this.
They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the Lord your God, for we have heard a report of him, of all that he did in Egypt” (Joshua 9:9).
Just like in the battle against Ai where they were defeated, they relied on their own judgment instead of listening to God. They ended up making an agreement with the Gibeonites without consulting God or seeking His approval.
So the leaders partook of their provisions and did not ask direction from the Lord.
And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them (Joshua 9:14-15).
When they found out about the trickery of the Gibeonites, they were upset. However, due to their commitment and God’s reputation, they decided to spare the lives of the Gibeonites.
But the Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we must not touch them” (Joshua 9:18-19).
Reflections
One of my father’s most memorable sayings was, “A man’s word is his bond.”
I saw him go through serious heartache three times, but he kept his promises to his own hurt. One of those times involved me.
When I was a young child, he promised to take me to the county fair. Then, an opportunity came up for my parents to go out with friends.
He told me we’d go the next day and have a great time. But I threw a fit and insisted on going right then.
So, he canceled his plans with his friends, took me to the fair, and made sure I had a great time, even pretending he enjoyed it too.
That story is nearly 70 years old, but I still remember it clearly. I can picture going to the county fair with my dad.
His words, “a man’s word is his bond,” have stuck with me, and I’ve tried to live by them.
From the experience with the Gibeonites and from people like my father, we learn the importance of doing the right thing even when it hurts us.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 