The people from Gibeon trick the Israelites.

Joshua 9

All of the groups of people living in Canaan hear about the Israelites.

The leaders of the other people heard about Joshua and the Israelites. Some of the other groups of people were called:  the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. These groups of people lived west of the Jordan River as far north as Lebanon. They lived in in the big hills, in the small hills, and in the flat land near the Mediterranean Sea. The leaders of these groups decided to work together to fight Joshua and the Israelites.
[1] And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
[2] That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

The people from Gibeon trick the Israelites.


The people who lived in the area called Gibeon heard about Joshua. They heard how Joshua and the Israelites defeated Jericho and Ai.
[3] And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
 

They made a plan to trick the Israelites. Some of them pretended that they traveled from a place far away. They got a lot of old things. They put old sacks (bags) on their donkeys. They got old, torn wineskins and sewed them back together.
[4] They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;


They put on old clothes and shoes. They carried old, moldy bread.
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
 

They went to see Joshua at Gilgal. They lied and told Joshua they lived in a country far away. They said they wanted to make a peace treaty (promise for no war) with the Israelites.
[6] And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.


The Israelite men said maybe they really lived in Canaan. If they lived in Canaan, the Israelites could not make a peace treaty with them.
[7] And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
 

The Gibeon men told Joshua that they would be the Israelites' servants (workers). Joshua asked them who they were and where they came from.
[8] And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?


The Gibeon men lied again. They said they came from a country far away. They said they heard about how God was helping the Israelites. They heard about what happened in Egypt.  They heard that the Israelites won wars with the Amorites, King Og, and King Sihon.
[9] And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
[10] And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

They said their leaders told them to take food and travel to meet the Israelites. They said their leaders said to tell the Israelites they want to make a peace treaty. They said they want to work for the Israelites.
[11] Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.


They showed the Israelites their food. They said they made the bread fresh at home. But they traveled a long time, and the bread got moldy. They said the wineskins were new, but now they are old and torn. They also said they traveled a long time, and their clothes got old.  
[12] 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 mouldy:
[13] 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 Israelite men accepted some of the food. But they didn't pray and ask God about this situation.
[14] And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.


Joshua made a peace treaty with the men. He promised to let their people live. The leaders of the Israelites made the promise, too.
[15] 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.


But 3 days later, the Israelites learned that the men had lied. They did not live far away. They really lived close in Canaan.
[16] And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
 

The Israelite army traveled to the Gibeonites' home. The Israelites arrived at the men's cities in just 3 days.  The names of their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
[17] And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.


But the Israelites did not kill the Gibeonite people. They could not kill them because the Israelite leaders made a peace treaty with them. They made a promise in God's name to have peace with the people. They cannot kill them now and break their promise. The Israelite people complained about the peace treaty.
[18] And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.


But the Israelite leaders told them they cannot kill the Gibeon people. They made a promise in God's name.
[19] But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.


The Israelite leaders said they cannot break the treaty promise If they break it, something bad will happen. They must let the Gibeon people live. 
[20] This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.


The Israelite leaders said the Gibeonite people can live. But they must work for the Israelites.  They must cut wood and carry water for the Israelites.
[21] And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.


Joshua called the Gibeon men. He asked them why they lied about living far away.  Now they are cursed. They will always work for the Israelites.  They will always cut wood and carry water for God's special place of worship.
[22] And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
[23] Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.


The Gibeon men answered Joshua.  They said they lied because they were afraid. They heard how God told the Israelites to destroy everyone in Canaan and take all of the land.
[24] And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.


The Gibeon people accepted that they will now cut wood and carry water. The Israelites did not kill them. When this book of the Bible was written, they were still working for the Israelites. They work in the special place that God chose for His worship place.
[25] And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
[26] And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
[27] And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.