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The Price of a Lie, April 26
Joshua 9
;
Joshua 10
Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his
delight.
Proverbs 12:22
.
From Shechem the Israelites returned to their encampment at Gilgal. Here
they were soon after visited by a strange deputation, who desired to enter into
treaty with them. The ambassadors represented that they had come from a distant
country, and this seemed to be confirmed by their appearance. Their clothing
was old and worn, their sandals were patched, their provisions moldy, and the
skins that served them for wine bottles were rent and bound up, as if hastily
repaired on the journey....
These representations prevailed.... “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.” Thus the treaty was entered into....
But it would have fared better with the Gibeonites had they dealt honestly
with Israel. While their submission to Jehovah secured the preservation of their
lives, their deception brought them only disgrace and servitude. God had made
provision that all who would renounce heathenism, and connect themselves with
Israel, should share the blessings of the covenant. They were included under the
term, “the stranger that sojourneth among you,” and with few exceptions this
class were to enjoy equal favors and privileges with Israel. The Lord’s direction
was—“If a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the
stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and
thou shalt love him as thyself” (
Leviticus 19:33, 34
)....
Such was the footing on which the Gibeonites might have been received,
but for the deception to which they had resorted. It was no light humiliation to
those citizens of a “royal city,” “all the men whereof were mighty,” to be made
hewers of wood and drawers of water throughout their generations. But they had
adopted the garb of poverty for the purpose of deception, and it was fastened
upon them as a badge of perpetual servitude. Thus through all their generations
their servile condition would testify to God’s hatred of falsehood
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Patriarchs and Prophets, 505-507
.
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