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Texts -- Joshua 9:1-27 (NET)

Context
The Gibeonites Deceive Israel
9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan – in the hill country , the lowlands , and all along the Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon (including the Hittites , Amorites , Canaanites , Perizzites , Hivites , and Jebusites )– 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel . 9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai , 9:4 they did something clever . They collected some provisions and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys , along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched . 9:5 They had worn-out , patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes . All their bread was dry and hard . 9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel , “We have come from a distant land . Make a treaty with us.” 9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites , “Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?” 9:8 But they said to Joshua , “We are willing to be your subjects .” So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9:9 They told him, “Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the Lord your God , for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt 9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth . 9:11 Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects . Make a treaty with us.”’ 9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, but now it is dry and hard . 9:13 These wineskins we filled were brand new , but look how they have ripped . Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey .” 9:14 The men examined some of their provisions , but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice . 9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live . The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath . 9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them , the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby . 9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon , Kephirah , Beeroth , and Kiriath Jearim . 9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel . The whole community criticized the leaders , 9:19 but all the leaders told the whole community , “We swore an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel . So now we can’t hurt them! 9:20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” 9:21 The leaders then added , “Let them live .” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community , as the leaders had decided . 9:22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you trick us by saying , ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby ? 9:23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God .” 9:24 They said to Joshua , “It was carefully reported to your subjects how the Lord your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified we would lose our lives , so we did this thing . 9:25 So now we are in your power . Do to us what you think is good and appropriate . 9:26 Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them 9:27 and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the Lord at the divinely chosen site . (They continue in that capacity to this very day .)

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Gibeon

    [ebd] hill-city, "one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty" (Josh. 10:2). Its inhabitants were Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a priest-city (18:25; 21:17)....
    [isbe] GIBEON - gib'-e-un (gibh`on): One of the royal cities of the Hivites (Josh 9:7). It was a greater city than Ai; and its inhabitants were reputed mighty men (Josh 10:2). It fell within the territory allotted to Benjamin (Josh...
    [smith] (hill city), one of the four , cities of the Hivites, the inhabitants of which made a league with Joshua, (Joshua 9:3-15) and thus escaped the fate of Jericho and Ai. Comp. ch. (Joshua 11:19) Gibeon lay within the territory o...
    [nave] GIBEON 1. A city of the Hivites, Josh. 9:3, 17; 2 Sam. 21:2. The people of, adroitly draw Joshua into a treaty, Josh. 9. Made servants by the Israelites, when their sharp practice was discovered, Josh. 9:27. The sun stand...

  • Alliances

    [smith] On the first establishment of the Hebrews in Palestine no connections were formed between them and the surrounding nations. But with the extension of their power under the kings alliances became essential to the security of t...
    [nave] ALLIANCES. Political With idolaters forbidden, Ex. 23:32, 33; 34:12-15; Deut. 7:2; Judg. 2:2; 2 Chr. 19:2; 20:37; Isa. 30:2; 31:1; Hos. 4:17; 5:13; 12:1; Ezek. 17:15. Ratification of: By oaths, Gen. 21:23; 26:28-31; Josh....

  • Lies and Deceits

    [nave] LIES AND DECEITS Ex. 23:1; Lev. 6:2-7; Lev. 19:11, 12, 16 Ex. 20:16. Job 13:4; Job 21:34; Job 27:4; Job 31:5, 6, 33; Job 36:4; Psa. 5:6, 9; Psa. 10:7; Psa. 12:2, 3; Psa. 28:3; Psa. 31:18; Psa. 34:13 1 Pet. 3:10. Psa. 36:3; P...

  • Joshua

    [nave] JOSHUA 1. Called also Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah, and Oshea. Son of Nun, Num. 13:8; 1 Chr. 7:27. Intimately associated with Moses, Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11. A religious zealot, Num. 11:28. Sent with others to view the promise...

  • Canaan

    [nave] CANAAN 1. Son of Ham, Gen. 9:18, 22, 25-27. Descendants of, Gen. 10:6, 15; 1 Chr. 1:8, 13. 2. Land of (The history of this region is involved in that of the Israelites. The student is therefore referred to Israel, History ...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Kirjath-jearim

    [ebd] city of jaars; i.e., of woods or forests, a Gibeonite town (Josh. 9:17) on the border of Benjamin, to which tribe it was assigned (18:15, 28). The ark was brought to this place (1 Sam. 7:1, 2) from Beth-shemesh and put in ch...
    [nave] KIRJATH-JEARIM, called also Baalah, one of the four cities of the Gibeonites. Inhabitants of, not killed, on account of the covenant made by the Israelites with the Gibeonites, but put under servitude, Josh. 9:17, with verses...

  • Alliance

    [ebd] a treaty between nations, or between individuals, for their mutual advantage. Abraham formed an alliance with some of the Canaanitish princes (Gen. 14:13), also with Abimelech (21:22-32). Joshua and the elders of Israel ente...

  • Magnanimity

    [nave] MAGNANIMITY. Instances of Joshua and the elders of Israel to the Gibeonites who had deceived the Israelites, Josh. 9:3-27. Of Moses, See: Moses. David to Saul, 1 Sam. 24:3-11. Ahab to Ben Hadad, 1 Kin. 20:32-34. See: C...

  • Slave

    [ebd] Jer. 2:14 (A.V.), but not there found in the original. In Rev. 18:13 the word "slaves" is the rendering of a Greek word meaning "bodies." The Hebrew and Greek words for slave are usually rendered simply "servant," "bondman,"...

  • Contracts

    [nave] CONTRACTS Between Abraham and Abimelech, concerning wells of water, Gen. 21:25-32; violated, Gen. 26:15. First contract between Laban and Jacob for Laban's daughter, Gen. 29:15-20, 27-30; violated, Gen. 29:23-27; second con...

  • Treaty

    [nave] TREATY Between nations: Israelites and Gibeonites, Josh. 9:3-15; Judah and Syria, 1 Kin. 15:19. Cession of territory by, 1 Kin. 9:10-14; 20:34. Sacredness of, Josh. 9:16-21, with Josh. 2:8-21. Reciprocity, 1 Kin. 5:1-12. ...

  • Oath

    [nave] OATH, a solemn qualification. Used in solemnizing covenants: Between Abraham and the king of Sodom, Gen. 14:22, 23; and Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; between Isaac and Abimelech, Gen. 26:26-29, 31. Abraham requires oath of his ...

  • Servant

    [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...

  • Diplomacy

    [nave] DIPLOMACY. 1 Cor. 9:20-23 See: Tact. Instances of Of Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; 26:26-31. The Gibeonites, in securing a league with the Israelites through deception, Josh. 9:3-16. Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, uns...

  • Confidence

    [nave] CONFIDENCE. Betrayed Instances of: Joshua, by the Gibeonites, Josh. 9:3-15. Eglon, by Ehud, Judg. 3:15-23. Ahimelech, by David, 1 Sam. 21:1-9. Abner, by Joab, 2 Sam. 3:27. Amasa, by Joab, 2 Sam. 20:9, 10. The worship...

  • Deception

    [nave] DECEPTION. Instances of By Satan, Gen. 3:4. Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister, Gen. 12:13; 20:2. Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister, Gen. 26:7. Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father,...

  • Craftiness

    [nave] CRAFTINESS. Instances of Satan, in the temptation of Eve, Gen. 3:1-5. Jacob, in purchase of Esau's birthright, Gen. 25:31-33; obtaining Isaac's blessing, Gen. 27:6-29; in management of Laban's flocks and herds, Gen. 30:31...

  • TEARS

    [isbe] TEARS - terz (dim`ah; dakrua): In the instances recorded in Scripture weeping is more frequently associated with mental distress than with physical pain. Eastern peoples show none of the restraint of emotion in lamentation w...
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Arts

Questions

  • They formed one of the seven nations of Canaan, descended from Canaan (Gen. 10:15,17). They dwelt near Lebanon. The Shechemites and Gibeonites were affiliated with them (Judg. 3:3; Gen. 34:2; Josh. 9:3-7). Esau intermarried w...
  • They were one of the seven nations of Canaan and were governed by many independent kings (Josh. 5:1; Josh. 9:10). They originally inhabited a mountain district in the south (Num. 13:29), but later acquired an extensive tract ...

Sermon Illustrations

Qualities Needed in Parenting; Deuteronomy 6; Leo Tolstoy

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 14:1-4 Scholars have not been able to locate definitely the sites referred to in verse 2."An Egyptian papyrus associates Baal Zephon with Tahpahnes . . . a known site near Lake Menzaleh in the northeastern delta region."235Ho...
  • In this final part of the Book of the Covenant, which concludes with 23:33, God gave the Israelites promises and precepts relating to their conquest of the Promised Land. Suzerainty treaties normally concluded with an explana...
  • These instructions deal with how Israel was to come into possession of the Promised Land (cf. Num. 33:50-56). They are in the context of civil legislation because Israel did not have a standing army. Soldiers volunteered to g...
  • The Book of Joshua evidently came into being several years after the events recorded in the book took place. A number of statements point to a time of composition beyond the conquest and perhaps beyond the lifetime of Joshua....
  • As I have explained previously, the date of the Exodus was about 1446 B.C. (cf. 1 Kings 6:1).7Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness (Exod. 16:35; Num. 14:33-34). Thus Israel crossed the Jordan River and entered the land abo...
  • I. The conquest of the land chs. 1-12A. Preparations for entering Canaan chs. 1-21. God's charge to Joshua 1:1-92. Joshua's charge to Israel 1:10-183. The spying out of Jericho ch. 2B. Entrance into the land 3:1-5:121. Passag...
  • In one sense verses 1-9 are a preamble to the whole book. They contain the basic principles that were to guide Joshua and Israel so they could obtain all that God had promised their forefathers.1:1 The first word of the book ...
  • As preparation for entering Canaan, Joshua sent spies to reconnoiter the area Israel would enter."Although Joshua had received a promise from the Lord of His almighty help in the conquest of Canaan, he still thought it necess...
  • At Jericho, Israel learned God's strength. At Ai, she learned her own weakness. She could only conquer her enemies as she remained faithful to God's covenant."We are never in greater danger than right after we have won a grea...
  • The residents of the town of Gibeon decided that if they could not defeat the Israelites they would join them. This has been a strategy that enemies of believers have employed for centuries (cf. Num. 25:1-2).9:1-2 Israel is t...
  • The writer identified 31 kings in the order in which Joshua defeated them."Many of the same names appear in the Amarna letters, thus confirming the historicity of our text."158"The description was not complete. Shechem is not...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • Internal references in 2 Samuel enable us to date this incident early in David's reign between Mephibosheth's arrival in Jerusalem and the beginning of the Ammonite wars. Probably God sent judgment on Israel for Saul's action...
  • The "temple servants"were an order of Israelites that David had established to assist the Levites (8:20). The biblical writers sometimes called them the Nethinim (lit. those given, i.e., dedicated, to God). They may have been...
  • There are several thematic connections between this chapter and chapter 28.298The general structure of the chapter is chiastic."AContemporary events: Egypt no help (1-7)BComing human events: the refusal of the word, the way o...
  • 17:11-12 Ezekiel was now to tell his rebellious hearers what this story represented.250The first eagle stood for the king of Babylon (cf. Jer. 48:40; 49:22; Dan. 7:4). His invasion of Jerusalem (the specific identity of the L...
  • The emphasis on the holiness of God that has marked this vision continues strong in this pericope and the next. God's holiness will determine who serves as priests and how they serve.44:4 The guide proceeded to take Ezekiel t...
  • 7:1 We have already read of two dreams that Nebuchadnezzar had (2:1; 4:5). Now God gave one to Daniel. It too was a vision from God that came to Daniel as he slept."In referring to the experience as a dream' (sing.) Daniel wa...
  • 16:18 "I say to you"(cf. 5:18, 20, 22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44; 8:10) may imply that Jesus would continue the revelation the Father had begun. However the phrase occurs elsewhere where that contrast is not in view. Undoubtedly it ...
  • The question of fairness arises whenever someone makes a choice to favor one person over another. Paul dealt with the justice of God in doing what He did in this pericope."These verses are a detour from the main road of Paul'...
  • There are a number of contrasts between the 144,000 and this great multitude. The number of the first group is not only smaller but definite whereas the number of the second group is larger and indefinite. People from the 12 ...
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