Chapter 47—A Canaanite Tribe Deceives Israel
This chapter is based on
Joshua 9
and 10.
From Shechem the Israelites returned to their encampment at Gil-
gal. Here a strange deputation represented that they had come from
a distant country. This seemed to be confirmed by their appearance.
Their clothing was old and worn, their sandals patched, their provi-
sions moldy, and the skins that served them for wine bottles were rent
and bound up as if hastily repaired on the journey.
In their “far off” home—professedly beyond the limits of
Palestine—they had heard of the wonders which God had wrought,
and had sent to make a league with Israel. The Hebrews had been
specially warned against entering into any league with the idolaters of
Canaan, and a doubt as to the truth of the strangers’ words arose in the
minds of the leaders.
“Peradventure ye dwell among us,” they said. To this the am-
bassadors replied, “We are thy servants.” But when Joshua directly
demanded of them, “Who are ye? and from whence come ye?” they
added, “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 moldy: 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.”
The Hebrews “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. 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.”
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Thus the treaty was entered into. Three days afterward the truth was
discovered. “They heard that they were their neighbors, and that
they dwelt among them.” The Gibeonites had resorted to stratagem to
preserve their lives.
The indignation of the Israelites heightened 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, though secured
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