Chapter 9
Following the victories at Jericho and Ai, word spreads quickly through Canaan. In order to defend themselves against Israel, the various kings of Canaan form a "defensive alliance" and plan to work together to stop the Isreali offensive. All but one, that is.
The Gibeonites plan an elaborate deception to get Israel to agree to peace with them - though they are lying about where they are from - rather than join with all the Kings beyond the Jordan to fight Israel. They make it look like they came a long way - from a far country - to make peace. In fact, they were right over the hill. Gibeonites and Hivites are apparently the same, according to vs 7. This was a good plan. Remember that the instructions to Joshua as to nearby countries was to wipe them out, sparing none, but countries further away were to be given the option of surrendering as slaves, in which case they were to be spared. We cannot tell-at least I cannot tell-whether the Gibeonites had somehow learned of this distinction, or they just happened upon the one deception that would spare them.
Joshua agrees to peace with them, before consulting with God or the priest. This verse:
14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. [Jos 9:14 ESV]
It probably seemed a trivial thing to check their story. It was simple to check. No need to involve God in the process. But here, as in all cases, it is best to check with God rather than to depend on human understanding.
Possible FB post.
After three days, Israel learns what has happened. The Gibeonites/Hivites have four cities. Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. Three of these sound familiar. This would be a good study - to see where these cities show in later in Israel's history. But they do not go back on their word, they let the Gibeonites live, but as slaves, not as free. They were never to be free.
The people are upset with their leaders over this "peace" they've made with the Hivites. But the leaders say their word is binding on the people, and that the Hivites must be allowed to live. However, they will not be free, they were promised life, not freedom, not autonomy. This verse:
21 And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them. [Jos 9:21 ESV]
Joshua, now fully aware of the deception, asks them why they did it, and this is their answer:
24 They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you--so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. [Jos 9:24 ESV]
So it seems they did know what fate lay in store for them, and they had learned of it through spies or other such means. It isn't mentioned here, but it seems very likely that they also knew that a less severe fate was decreed for far countries. And they used this information to save their own lives.
Wasn't King Saul from Gibeon? No, that was Gibeah...or are they the same? Saul was a Benjamite and I found references that the land around Gibeon was given to the tribe of Benjamin. Gibeon will show up many more times per the word search I did. This verse:
28 Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim--fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans. [Jos 18:28 ESV] Sure looks like Gibeah and Gibeon are the same place. K-j is listed here also in the lands given to Benjamin. I think it is in Gibeah that the whole tribe of Benjamin is nearly wiped out over a terrible incident, and then worse is done to preserve them. And from the survivors of these things, we get Saul, first King of Israel.
When the Philistines manage to capture the Ark of the Covenant, and figure out pretty quickly that they want to give it back, they give it to the people in Kiriath-jearim, where it resides for 20 years.
Could go on with this I suspect, but, moving on now....
2022 - I have wondered before just how much labor would be involved in burning all those sacrifices - in the Tent and in the Temple. Especially during feasts there would have to be a roaring fire from morning to night. And this story tells us where that labor came from. It was these deceptive Hivites, these Gibeonites, who decided they would rather be living woodcutters and water drawers than dead soldiers. I have also wondered where all that wood came from. That is another question I guess.