Joshua 9 The Gibeonite Lie

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
Joshua 9:1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)— 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded[a] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”

8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.​

a. Joshua 9:4 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys

Cunning. That's what I would call the Gibeonite King.
Blinded. That's my description of Joshua and the assembly who ratified the peace treaty.

This is from Bible.org.

The record given here is typical of Satan’s strategies. Powerful alliances began immediately to form in both the north and the south of Canaan. Where tribal warfare had gone on for years, suddenly deadly enemies were brought together in alliances as they united against the invasion of God’s people into the land.

OK... here's a weird twist. I've been reading the story of these verses. I know that everyone on earth has to come from Noah [because everyone else was gone after the flood]. I went back to find out where the Gibeonites came from. Apparently the Gibeonites came from Ham. Here's an excerpt from Genesis 9:18-28.

Genesis 9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth.

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

Cursed be Canaan!
The lowest of slaves
will he be to his brothers
.”​

26 He also said,

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
27 May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years.


So this is Ham's side of the family that is so cunning. This is Shem's side of the family [Shem to Josheph] who were blinded.

I say that Joshua was blinded... this is what I mean. After a particularly great bible thumping revival, as Joshua and the Israelites had just experienced, it's easy to be blinded to everything mortal in the world. I've experienced a revival that last a week and for days afterword I felt hypnotized. It as almost as though I felt as tho I were in a perfect bubble of protection from anything outside of that bubble. It's then that I would be the most vulnerable. It's then that I would take it for granted that God has my back. IMHO Joshua went through that same thing.

The Israelites had just finished an victorious battle and amazing revival in an amphetheater built by God. Joshua must have felt God had his back..... but that's where he made his mistake.

Now Joshua is dealing with his cunning cousins from Great Great whatever Uncle Ham's side of the family. Joshua should have asked God to run the show.... but IMHO Joshua thought [still high on victory and revival] God was covering him.... but Joshua missed a step.

The king of the Gibeonites did present a very convincing case.... right? Worn sandals, patched wine skins, dry and moldy bread.... Of course God would have known it was a lie. But Joshua didn't ask.

:coffee:
 
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