3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai , 4 they also acted craftily and set out as envoys , and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys , and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended , 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet , and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled . 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 , "Perhaps you are living within our land ; how then shall we make a covenant with you?" 8 But they said to Joshua , " We are your servants ." Then Joshua said to them, "Who are you and where do you come from?" 9 They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God ; for we have heard the report of Him and 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 "So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying , 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey , and go to meet them and say to them, " We are your servants ; now then, make a covenant with us."' 12 "This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold , it is dry and has become crumbled . 13 "These wineskins which we filled were new , and behold , they are torn ; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey ." 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions , and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord .
15 Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live ; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. 16 It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living within their land . 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day . Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Joshua 9:3-17
Commentary on Joshua 9:3-13
(Read Joshua 9:3-13)
Other people heard these tidings, and were driven thereby to make war upon Israel; but the Gibeonites were led to make peace with them. Thus the discovery of the glory and the grace of God in the gospel, is to some a savour of life unto life, but to others a savour of death unto death, 2 Corinthians 2:16. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay. The falsehood of the Gibeonites cannot be justified. We must not do evil that good may themselves to the God of Israel, we have reason to think Joshua would have been directed by the oracle of God to spare their lives. But when they had once said, "We are come from a far country," they were led to say it made of skins, and their clothes: one lie brings on another, and that a third, and so on. The way of that sin is especially down-hill. Yet their faith and prudence are to be commended. In submitting to Israel they submitted to the God of Israel, which implied forsaking their idolatries. And how can we do better than cast ourselves upon the mercy of a God of all goodness? The way to avoid judgment is to meet it by repentance. Let us do like these Gibeonites, seek peace with God in the rags of abasement, and godly sorrow; so our sin shall not be our ruin. Let us be servants to Jesus, our blessed Joshua, and we shall live.
Commentary on Joshua 9:14-21
(Read Joshua 9:14-21)
The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites, hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been in itself unlawful, it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render it our duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanites who submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives might be spared. A citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and changes not, Psalm 15:4. Joshua and the princes, when they found that they had been deceived, did not apply to Eleazar the high priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with those to whom they had sworn. Let this convince us how we ought to keep our promises, and make good our bargains; and what conscience we ought to make of our words.