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A Canaanite Tribe Deceives Israel
This chapter is based on Joshua 9 and 10.
From Shechem the Israelites returned to their camp at Gilgal.
Here a strange delegation visited them, claiming that they had come
from a distant country. This seemed to be confirmed by the way
they looked. Their clothing was old and worn, their sandals patched,
their food moldy, and the skins that they used for wine bottles were
torn and patched, as if hastily repaired on the journey.
In their “far off” home—supposedly a long way from Palestine—
they had heard of the wonders that God had performed and had
sent to make a treaty with Israel. The Hebrews had been specially
warned against entering into any treaty with the idolaters of Canaan,
and a doubt arose in the minds of the leaders about the truth of the
strangers’ words.
“Perhaps you dwell among us,” they said. To this the ambas-
sadors replied, “We are your servants.” But when Joshua directly
demanded of them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
they added, “This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from
our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it
is dry and moldy. And these wineskins which we filled were new,
and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have
become old because of the very long journey.”
The Hebrews “did not ask counsel of the Lord. So Joshua made
peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live,
and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.” So the treaty was
ratified. Three days afterward Israel discovered the truth. “They
heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them.” The
Gibeonites had turned to trickery in order to preserve their lives.
The Israelites became more displeased when, after three days’
journey, they reached the cities of the Gibeonites near the center of
the land. But the princes refused to break the treaty, even though it
was gained by deceit, because they had “sworn to them by the Lord
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