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Patriarchs and Prophets
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
. Concerning the Passover and the offering of sacrifices it was
commanded, “One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation,
and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you: ... as ye are, so shall
the stranger be before the Lord.”
Numbers 15:15
.
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.
The submission of Gibeon to the Israelites filled the kings of
Canaan with dismay. Steps were at once taken for revenge upon
those who had made peace with the invaders. Under the leadership of
Adonizedek, king of Jerusalem, five of the Canaanite kings entered
into a confederacy against Gibeon. Their movements were rapid. The
Gibeonites were unprepared for defense, and they sent a message to
Joshua at Gilgal: “Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us
quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that
dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.” The danger
threatened not the people of Gibeon alone, but also Israel. This city
commanded the passes to central and southern Palestine, and it must
be held if the country was to be conquered.
Joshua prepared to go at once to the relief of Gibeon. The inhabi-
tants of the besieged city had feared that he would reject their appeal,
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because of the fraud which they had practiced; but since they had
submitted to the control of Israel, and had accepted the worship of