Joshua
Chapter
9
{Note:
Jews are cutting across cutting the Canaanite land in two. Then in
Chapter 10 there will be a Southern Campaign. And, in Chapter 11 will
be the Northern Campaign.}
{Chapter
9: Jews are Tricked by the People of Gibeon}
1-2~~And
it came to pass,
when
all the kings
who
were on this side of the Jordan {River},
in
the hills, and in the valleys,
and
in all the coasts of the great sea {Mediterranean Sea}
over
against Lebanon,
the
Hittite {listed first because this was a very powerful empire},
and
the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite,
the
Hivite {also known as the Gibeonites - Gibeon was their capital},
and
the Jebusite, heard thereof 2~~
that
they gathered themselves together,
to
fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
{Note:
The forces of Satan will try the frontal attack. But if that fails,
they are much more dangerous when they use the subtle attack (usually
in some self-righteous form of religion).}
{Note:
These people were famous for hating each other and fighting with
each other. Now they have a common enemy and work together to defeat Israel.}
{Verses
3-13: Story of the Fantastic Trickery of the Gibeonites}
3-5~~And
when the inhabitants of Gibeon
{from verse 7 and 17 below, we see these were Hivites}
heard
what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4~~
they
did work cunningly {`ormah},
and
went and made as if they had been ambassadors,
and
took old sacks upon their asses,
and
wine skins - old, and torn, and bound up 5~~
and
old shoes and clouted upon their feet,
and
old garments upon them;
and
all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
{Note:
They know they are next on agenda for conquest. They are pretending
to have traveled from a long way away to make a treaty with the Jews.}
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 you a treaty with us
{in Exodus 23:32 they were told to make NO treaties with them or
their gods and Deuteronomy 20:17 they are to destroy all the
Hivites utterly}."
{Jews
are Suspicious}
7~~And
the men of Israel said unto the Hivites,
"Peradventure
you dwell among us;
and
how shall we make a treaty with you?"
8~~And
they said unto Joshua,
"We
are your servants."
And
Joshua said unto them,
"Who
are you?
And
from where do you come?"
9-13~~And
they said unto him,
"From
a very far country
your
servants are come
because
of the name of Jehovah/God your 'Elohiym/Godhead
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,
who
were beyond Jordan,
to
Sihon king of Heshbon,
and
to Og king of Bashan,
who
were at Ashtaroth
{they did NOT mention Jericho and Ai - if they had, they would
have talked too much (because they would have known too
much)}. 11~~
Therefore,
our elders
and
all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying,
'Take
food with you for the journey,
and
go to meet them,
and
say unto them,
We
are your servants
therefore
now make you a treaty with us.' 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 moldy
{a lie - making it seem they came far} 13~~
and
these bottles of wine,
which
we filled, were new;
and,
behold, they be torn
and
these our garments and our shoes
are
become old
by
reason of the very long journey."
{Jewish
Leadership Make Mistake - Make Treaty and Do not Consult with God}
14~~And
the men {Jewish leadership} took of their food,
and
asked not at the mouth of the Jehovah/God.
{Note:
Remember in Exodus 23:32 they were told to make NO treaties with
them or their gods and Deuteronomy 20:17 they are to destroy all the
Hivites utterly. If they did not remember the Word of God, in this
dispensation, the Jews had direct contact with God through the High
Priest's Urim (the shoulder pads) and Thummim (the checkerboard
design on their breast) - (see where Joshua used it above in chapter
7:17). The High Priest had a breastplate (see Exodus 28:30). It had
12 stones - one for each tribe. The Urim was a yes/no light system
that they could have used for God to tell them directly.}
{All
Great People Fail - Joshua Fails Here}
15~~And
Joshua made peace with them,
and
made a treaty with them,
to
let them live.
And
the princes of the congregation
made
a solemn oath to them.
{Note:
It is the leadership that made the mistake. The people in the camp
will be complaining shortly. But Joshua will not compound his mistake
by making another - violating his word and breaking the treaty - he
will not do so.}
16~~And
it came to pass at the end of three days
after
they had made a treaty with them,
that
they heard that they were their neighbors,
and
that they dwelt among them.
17~~And
the children of Israel journeyed,
and
came unto their cities on the third day
{Israel was marching 3 days to wipe out the rest of the middle of
Palestine and cut the land in two when they find out the deceit}.
Now
their cities were Gibeon {capital city},
and
Chephirah,
and
Beeroth,
and
Kirjathjearim.
18~~And
the children of Israel did not smite them,
because
the princes of the congregation
had
taken a solemn oath unto them by Jehovah/God
'Elohiym/Godhead
of Israel.
And
all the congregation grumbled/murmured against the princes.
{Note:
Principal: Two wrongs do not make a right. Joshua did not compound
his error. You can not solve the problem by doing other wrong things.
Joshua will solve the problem correctly later.}
19-20~~But
all the princes said unto all the congregation,
"We
have sworn unto them by the Jehovah/God
'Elohiym/Godhead
of Israel.
Now
therefore we may not touch them
{real leaders - NOT pressured by the majority to do WRONG
they know they made a mistake! But two wrongs do not make a
right}. 20~~
This
we will do to them.
We
will even let them live,
lest
wrath be upon us,
because
of the oath which we swore unto them."
21~~And
the princes said unto them,
"Let
them live;
but
let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water
{they will live, but as slaves}
unto
all the congregation;
as
the princes had promised them."
22~~And
Joshua called for them,
and
he spoke unto them, saying,
Why
have you tricked us, saying,
"We
are very far from you
when
you dwell among us? 23~~
Now
therefore you 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 'Elohiym/Godhead."
24-25~~And
they answered Joshua, and said,
"Because
it was certainly told your servants,
how
that the Jehovah/God your 'Elohiym/Godhead
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 terribly afraid for our lives
because
of you,
and
have done this thing. 25~~
And
now, behold, we are in your hand
as
it seems good and right unto you
all
to do unto us, do."
{Note:
The Gibeonites had made fools of the Jews. They saw the situation
from the Jews viewpoint and this statement defused the situation. A
good lesson for all of us to learn.}
{Note:
Secondly, the inference of this verse is that the Gibeonites
BELIEVED God's word. So it is likely that they were believers
already, but we do know they would be believers soon.}
26~~And
so he {Joshua} did unto them {Gibeonites},
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 Jehovah/God
{the altar speaks of the cross - so they came in contact with the
cross daily from now on},
even
unto this day,
in
the place which he should choose.
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