1 It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it 2 that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up, 5 and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us." 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant with you?" 8 They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?" 9 They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us."' 12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy. 13 These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey." 14 The men sampled their provisions, and didn't ask counsel from the mouth of Yahweh. 15 Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them. 16 It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17 The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The children of Israel didn't strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them." 21 The princes said to them, "Let them live, so they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them." 22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God." 24 They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your 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 very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do." 26 He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn't kill them. 27 That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
The two verses serve as a general introduction to Josh. 9-11. The Canaanites had recovered to some extent from their panic Joshua 9:1, perhaps in consequence of the repulse of the Israelites before Ai. They resolved to make a league and to resist jointly the progress of the Israelites. The defection of Gibeon Josh. 9:3-27 determined the five kings of the Amorites, whose territories were nearest Gibeon, to take instant action against that city. Their forces were defeated by Joshua in the battle before Gibeon (Joshua 10:1 ff). The other confederates subsequently gathered their armies together, Joshua 11:1-5, and were defeated at the waters of Merom (Joshua 11:6 ff). The former of these two great battles gave Joshua possession of the southern half of Palestine west of Jordan; the latter of the northern half.
All the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, unite them forces against Joshua, Joshua 9:1, Joshua 9:2. The inhabitants of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Ai, sent ambassadors to him, feigning themselves to come from a very distant tribe, requesting a friendly alliance with him, Joshua 9:3-5. Their address to Joshua, and the means they used to deceive the Israelites, Joshua 9:6-13. The Israelitish elders are deceived, and make a league with them, which they confirm with an oath, Joshua 9:14, Joshua 9:15. After three day they are informed that the Gibeonites belong to the seven Canaanitish nations, yet they spare their cities, Joshua 9:16, Joshua 9:17. The congregation murmuring because of this, the elders excuse themselves because of their oath, Joshua 9:18, Joshua 9:19. They purpose to make the Gibeonites slaves to the congregation, Joshua 9:20, Joshua 9:21. Joshua calls them, and pronounces this sentence against them, Joshua 9:22, Joshua 9:23. They vindicate themselves, and submit to their lot, Joshua 9:24, Joshua 9:25. They are spared, and made hewers of wood and drawers of water to the congregation and to the altar, Joshua 9:26, Joshua 9:27.
INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 9
This chapter gives an account of the combination of the several kings of Canaan against Israel, Joshua 9:1; and of the craftiness of the Gibeonites, pretending they were ambassadors from a far country, and desired to enter into a league with Israel, which they obtained, Joshua 9:3; but when it was discovered who they were, it occasioned a murmuring among the people, Joshua 9:16; which the princes quelled by proposing to make them hewers of wood, and drawers of water, Joshua 9:19; in order to which Joshua summoned them before him, and chided them for beguiling them; and after they had made their excuse, he ordered them to the service the princes proposed, and so peace in the congregation of Israel was preserved, Joshua 9:21.
(Joshua 9:1, Joshua 9:2) The kings combine against Israel.
(Joshua 9:3-13) The Gibeonites apply for peace.
(Joshua 9:14-21) They obtain peace, but are soon detected.
(Joshua 9:22-27) The Gibeonites are to be bondmen.
Stratagem of the Gibeonites, and Their Consequent Preservation - Joshua 9
The victorious advance of the Israelites in the land induced the kings of Canaan to form a common league for the purpose of resisting them. But, as frequently happens, the many kings and lords of the towns and provinces of Canaan were not all united, so as to make a common and vigorous attack. Before the league had been entered into, the inhabitants of Gibeon, one of the largest towns in the central part of Canaan, together with the smaller neighbouring towns that were dependent upon it, attempted to anticipate the danger which threatened them by means of a stratagem, and to enter into a friendly alliance with the Israelites. And they succeeded, inasmuch as Joshua and the elders of the congregation of Israel fell into the snare that was laid for them by the ambassadors of the Gibeonites, who came to the camp at Gilgal, and made the desired treaty with them, without inquiring of the Lord. "This account," as O. v. Gerlach says, "is a warning to the Church of God of all ages against the cunning and dissimulation of the world, which often seeks for a peaceable recognition on the part of the kingdom of God, and even for a reception into it, whenever it may be its advantage to do so."
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.