by:
08/16/2025
0
“But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done ... (9:3). After the mighty cities of Jericho and Ai fell, the Gibeonites “feared greatly for their lives” (9:24). They chose to approach the Israelites with “cunning”, pretending to be from a “distant country” (9:3,6). Joshua and the elders “made peace” with them, even though they did not consult the Lord (9:14-15). When the ruse was revealed, the leaders were bound to keep their word and let the Gibeonites live (9:21).
The imperfect leaders of Israel misjudged the situation and made an imperfect agreement. However, the Gibeonites ended up serving before the “altar of the Lord” (9:27), just as we, God’s people with complicated stories, are cobbled together by grace.