BaptistWay Press® Adult Online Bible Commentary
By Dr. Ron Lyles
Pastor, South Main Baptist Church
Pasadena, Texas
Studies in Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)
Lesson Five
A Foolish Assumption
Focal Text
Joshua 9
Background
Joshua 9
Main Idea
Taking time to seek God’s wisdom can keep us from being deceived.
Question to Explore
Why is it foolish to rely solely on our “common sense” and logic?
Quick Read
Because the Israelites failed to seek God’s wisdom, they were deceived. We face
the same challenge today.
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Introduction
Unfortunately, corporate deception is a practice with a long history. The latest expression
of it can be found in the Volkswagen company. Volkswagen executives have admitted
that they equipped some eleven million vehicles with software that made it possible for
their automobiles to exceed imposed environmental standards during driving, but with the
ability to cheat in order to pass emissions tests.
I observed an example of corporate deception in 2001 with interest because it negatively
impacted some of my church members. Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling of the Enron
Corporation (based in Houston, Texas) were guilty of borrowing a lot of money,
incurring an enormous amount of debt, and driving their company into bankruptcy, while
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations in Adult Online Bible Commentary are from
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
encouraging their investors to pump more cash into their company. They both sold their
large portfolio of Enron stock before it plunged, causing Enron stockholders and
employees to lose an estimated $25 billion. That was corporate fraud.
Some thirty years ago the seven of us who served South Main in a ministry and
administrative assistant capacity would meet in my office to draw names for a Christmas
gift exchange. I always had this compulsion to know whose name each person had drawn.
One year I arranged the names on my desk that corresponded to where each office was in
our administrative suite. On another occasion I put my name on every slip of paper. I
drew last, and you should have seen the look on every face when I declared that I had
drawn my own name. Everybody had drawn my name. That was a practical joke.
The events recorded in Joshua 9 seem to be somewhere on the spectrum between
corporate deception and a practical joke.
Commentary
I find Halloween to be a very strange day. It is not a paid holiday on any calendar, but it
seems culturally to be an important time. “Trick or treat” is the phrase associated with
Halloween, and it has a strange history as well. It may be an offshoot of “souling” in
England during the Middle Ages; however, its first expression on our continent was in a
newspaper from the western Canadian province of Alberta in 1927.
It seems to have become a widespread practice in the western United States and moved
eastward during the 1930s. This phrase made its first American appearance in a national
publication in 1939. After a lull during the days of sugar rationing during World War II,
it exploded in popularity.
The experience of the Israelites described in Joshua 9 can be interpreted in terms of “trick
and treaty.” A group within Canaan tricked Joshua and the Israelites into making a treaty
(covenant) with them that preserved their lives.
Circumstances of the Trick and Treaty (9:1-2)
This chapter continues the story of the relationship between the present inhabitants of the
land of Canaan and the Israelites to whom God had given this land. Rahab declared that
the Canaanites were filled with fear, and justifiably so. After the defeat at Jericho, they
then gained some confidence and courage with an initial victory at Ai, but it was shortlived because the Israelites subsequently defeated them there also.
This early Israelite success alarmed a significant number of the city-state kings in
Canaan. “These things” (9:1) of course referred to these initial military successes. The
new reality in this chapter is that instead of the Israelites facing only one city or one king,
they now are confronted by a coalition of kings. The identification of these kings is
disclosed in two ways: geography and ethnography.
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
The geographical references are pretty extensive. The “hill country” (9:1) denotes the
Central Mountain Range or the mountains of Galilee, Samaria, and Judah (from north to
south). The “western foothills” (9:1) designated the rolling hills that provided a transition
zone between the mountains to the east and the Mediterranean to the west. Kings from
the coastal plain as far north as the Phoenician coast were also included in this coalition.
These kings represented six of the people groups identified in Joshua 3:10 as occupying
the land (omitting the Girgashites.) Of the twenty-one lists of ethnic groups living in
Canaan found in the Old Testament, only two are identical to this one. Both of them are
also closely linked with holy war (Deuteronomy 20:17 and Josh. 12:8).
The New International Version does not translate a Hebrew phrase that ends verse two.
This phrase “with one mouth” declares that the kings acted in unity or with one common
purpose and goal. Their one desire was to defeat the newest people group in their land
through subduing them in battle.
Calculations for the Trick (9:3-13)
Many of the city-state kings in Canaan had heard about the Israelite victories and
prepared for an inevitable war with the Israelites. The elders of one particular village had
also heard the same thing (9:3) and made a calculated move designed to preserve their
lives and their town. Gibeon (9:3) was a town located near Ai in the territory that Joshua
would later allot to the tribe of Benjamin. It was northwest of Jericho in a plateau
between Judah and Samaria (also northwest of Jerusalem). The archaeological site el-Jib
has been identified as the ancient town of Gibeon.
“Ruse” (9:4) signified something sly or cunning. It is a flexible term that could mean
something positive (Proverbs 1:4 “prudence”) or negative (Exod. 21:14 “schemes”). The
morality of it depended upon the perspective from which it was viewed. In this context,
the Gibeonites considered it to be good cleverness, while the Israelites saw it as treachery
or deception. This same word is used to describe David as “crafty” (1 Samuel 23:22)
when he was chased by Saul who wanted to kill him. The biblical narrator does not
condone the lying of the Gibeonites that was a part of their slyness; rather, he merely
reports it.
The deception perpetrated by the Gibeonites was in two stages. Their ruse involved
action (9:4-5) followed by a request (9:6). Then, when the Israelites expressed some
skepticism about them and began some investigative clarification (9:7-8), the Gibeonites
substantiated their story with words (9:9-13).
The Gibeonites did three things in order to perform the trick they pulled on God’s people
(9:4-5). They did them to provide evidence that they lived in another country, far away
from Canaan, and had traveled a great distance to meet with Joshua and God’s people. It
seemed as if the long journey had taken its toll on their “luggage” (sacks containing their
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
grain and skins containing their wine), on their clothes and sandals (torn and patched),
and on their ability to preserve fresh bread to eat.
The New International Version translates two Hebrew words to describe their bread.
“Dry and moldy” (9:5) seems to be inconsistent since mold occurs due to the presence of
moisture. The word rendered “moldy, naqad, elsewhere refers to speckled animals
(Genesis 30:32) and decorated cakes (1 Kings 14:3). Here it probably means the bread
was crumbly due to its stale dryness.
Several different towns in the Old Testament shared the name “Gilgal” (9:6). The name
means “circle” (circle of stones probably). The best-known of the various towns that had
that name was the one Joshua used as his first base of operations (Josh. 4:19; 5:9-10).
That may be the one mentioned here, although some Old Testament interpreters believe
this one to be a village farther north near Shechem, and thus near the place where the
covenant renewal had taken place (8:30-35).
The Gibeonites clearly stated their intent, which caused them to carry out the trick they
played on Israel. “Treaty” (9:6) translates berith, a general term used throughout the
ancient Near East to signify agreements between empires and between empires and
smaller city-states. It is the same word the Old Testament uses theologically to describe
the covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel which was established at Sinai.
Did the Gibeonites simply not want to fight the Israelites and felt this was the only way
they could avoid war? Or did they have a measure of inside information about the
nuances of the holy war for Israel? The principles of holy war laid down in Deuteronomy
20 make a distinction between the way people outside the land of Canaan and the people
inside the land were to be treated. Those living away from Canaan were to be offered
peace (Deut. 20:10-15), while those living in the land were to be destroyed, the law of
cherem (Deut. 20:16-20).
It is interesting that the dialogue found in Joshua 9:6-13 makes no mention of Israelite
leadership. The phrase “the men of Israel” (9:6, 7, 14) is singular in nature. It is literally
“the man of Israel.” It is a collective singular noun sometimes used to denote the Israelite
army. Even as the understanding of community solidarity was seen in the Achan episode,
it appears here as well. In essence Joshua and all the people (not just Joshua and leaders)
were responsible for the failure to realize they were being deceived. Leaders do appear
subsequently in an official capacity when an agreement is finalized (9:15-21).
Sometimes people are so naïve. Sometimes people are so shrewd they take advantage of
those who trust fully. Probably all of us at some point “have had the wool pulled over our
eyes.” It happens frequently in benevolent situations. You hear an incredibly sad and
hopeless story that ends with a request for financial assistance. You are somewhat
suspicious but convinced that it is a genuine human need, and you respond to the request
accordingly. You learn later the story was not true. You were deceived. It is my judgment
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
that you did nothing wrong. God will hold the deceiving person accountable for being
untruthful with you. He will not punish you for being compassionate and kind.
Something about this delegation from Gibeon created suspicion. The biblical narrator
declares that the men of Gibeon were “Hivites” (9:7). This people group had migrated
from the Anatolian Peninsula (modern day Turkey) and had been part of the Canaan
ethnic mix for a long time (see 9:1). It is unclear whether the Israelites understood their
ethnic identification. They are more concerned about their geographical location.
“Servants” (9:8, 9, 11) is the language of polite diplomacy in treaty making. The
Gibeonites realized they did not negotiate from a position of strength. They were making
a request. Their statement of who they were would become a self-fulfilling prophecy of
what they did become. They did indeed become servants. Joshua reinforced the
interrogation by the people of Israel (9:8).
The men of Gibeon responded to the expressed suspicion with a statement that was both
expansive and evasive. They asserted they had traveled a long way from their home but
did not specify where they lived by name. They admitted what they had heard about the
God of the Israelites (9:9-10) in language remarkably similar to the words of Rahab
(Josh. 2:9-11). They knew of his “fame” (9:9) or literally his name (reputation). Quite
curious is the fact they mentioned what God had done for his people in Egypt and in
conflict with the kings across the Jordan, but failed to note what God had done more
recently at Jericho and Ai, in their own “neighborhood.”
The Gibeonites should be applauded for a genuinely good “Oscar winning performance”
(9:12-13). They openly displayed their crumbly bread, cracking wineskins, and tattered
clothes. The skeptical leaders of Israel heard what the messengers of Gibeon told them
and saw the evidence of their assertions. They were convinced the story was legitimate
and truthful.
The Consequences of the Treaty (9:14-27)
Joshua 9:14 is the most important verse within this episode. The Israelites “sampled their
provisions” (9:14). This might refer to another dimension of the inspection process. Other
interpreters believe the Israelites and Gibeonites sealed their covenant with a fellowship
meal they shared together.
The Israelites had heard the request of the Gibeonites. They had raised some reservations
about the story and listened to explanations. They had physically examined the condition
of the people’s clothes and provisions. They had seemingly done their due diligence as
the basis for a good “common sense” decision, but the one thing they had failed to do was
the most important thing they should have done.
The New Testament writer declared wise counsel when he said, “If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
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ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
be given to him” (James 1:5) and also, ”You do not have because you do not ask God”
(James 4:2b).
The Israelites “did not inquire of the LORD” (Josh. 9:14). The wisdom and counsel of
God available to us cannot be accessed without asking God to share his guidance with us.
Had they inquired of God, they would have learned of the deceit that targeted them. Their
mistake was not in being a target of deception; rather, it was not seeking the voice of God
as to what they should do.
Joshua established the solemn treaty or covenant agreement the men of Gibeon had
requested. “Peace” (9:15) was used as a technical term for the mutual benefit and
wholeness of treaty partners who committed to such an agreement. The leaders of Israel
gave their word they would fulfill their obligations of this covenant “by oath” (9:15),
using the name of Yahweh through a sworn oath (9:18). I believe that using the name of
Yahweh in this way, without consulting him first about the situation, is a violation of the
third commandment. They took the name of the LORD in a vain or empty way.
No matter how elaborate a deception may be, or how successful it seems to be, it
eventually unravels. One can only speculate as to how the Israelites discovered so quickly
that the Gibeonites had tricked them. “Three days” (9:16) and “the third day” (9:17) were
the conventional ways the Israelites referred to a brief, indefinite amount of time (“a few
days” to us). The five towns, located close together, probably banded together for mutual
protection against more powerful city-state kings (9:17).
This entire “trick and treaty” episode produced ramifications for everyone involved. It
caused a rift between the people of God and their leaders. “Grumbled” (9:18b) is the
major word used to describe the complaints the Israelites made against both God and
Moses during the period in the wilderness before entering the land. The people
challenged their leaders, believing that since the Gibeonites lived in Canaan, they were
subject to the “devoted things” component of holy war and thus should be destroyed.
They should also be attacked as revenge for their deceptive treachery (9:19-20).
Verse 20 may imply that they missed a second opportunity to inquire of God’s will in this
matter. If they had inquired of God about how to respond to this deceit, could God have
voided the treaty? The Israelites made the decision of how to proceed (maybe again
without God).
The trick was successful in that the lives of the Gibeonites were spared, but they
experienced negative consequences as a result of their deceit. They would be menial
servants with the assigned tasks of cutting wood and drawing water. They would do these
two chores both for the physical needs of the Israelites and for the religious needs of the
sanctuary, providing wood for the sacrificial fire and water for the ritual washings (9:21,
23, 27). Joshua declared they would be required to do this because their deception
resulted in their being under a curse from God (9:23).
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
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Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
The Gibeonites accepted this role as something far more preferable than being put to
death (9:24-25). This reality was another illustration of how large numbers of the
previous inhabitants of the land continued to live in Canaan as neighboring people groups
with the Israelites. (The story of Rahab is another way in which people were spared.)
Joshua 9-10 must be read together because what began in one is not fully concluded until
the events of the other chapter. A strong coalition of kings from the southern area of
Canaan was very displeased with Gibeon for making a treaty agreement with Israel and
prepared to attack that Canaanite city (10:1-6). The Gibeonites were terrified,
communicated their situation to Joshua, and requested his help as their “treaty partner”
(10:7-8). The rest of chapter 10 provides the details of Joshua’s great victory over this
coalition. This victory includes one of the most familiar events in this book, the act of
God in fighting in behalf of his people by controlling the sun and the moon (10:12-14).
Conclusion
Although Thomas Paine was the author, the pamphlet Common Sense was published
anonymously on January 10, 1776. At the time, the population of the American colonies
was some two-and-a-half-million people. As to percentage of the population, that
pamphlet became the most widely circulated and read of any written document in
American history. George Washington had it read to all of his colonial army. It was the
most important single catalyst that brought about a Declaration of Independence only six
months later in July of 1776.
Paine wrote Common Sense for ordinary Americans, many of them uneducated. He wrote
in simple language the powerful argument for preferring liberty over the tyranny of an
earthly monarch or king. It is logical or reasonable to assert that the human spirit aspires
to enjoy freedom and democracy; however, Paine did not apply the principles of the Age
of Reason or Enlightenment as the foundation for his argument. His pamphlet was filled
with quotations from Scripture and references to the will and purpose of God. He talked
about Gideon and Samuel as to their opposition to kingship. In reference to the period of
the judges, he said, “Kings they had none, and it was held sinful to acknowledge any
being under that title but the Lord of Hosts.”
The perspective of Thomas Paine was correct. We desperately need to seek the wise
counsel of our God when we are faced with decisions and direction in life. We cannot
rely solely upon our “common sense” and human logic.
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
notice and identifying information in this note must be included on any copies made.
Joshua 9. A Foolish Assumption
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Meet the Writer: Dr. Ron Lyles
Ron Lyles has been the pastor of the South Main Baptist Church in Pasadena, Texas for
more than thirty years. He has also been writing Bible study material for most of that
time. Dr. Lyles is a graduate of Dallas Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary (M.Div., Ph.D.). He serves as chair of the executive board for
Texas Baptists and also enjoys teaching adjunctively for Logsdon Seminary at their
Corpus Christi location.
BaptistWay Press®
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Adult Online Bible Commentary. Choices & Consequences (Joshua/Judges)—Lesson Five. Copyright ©
2016 BAPTISTWAY PRESS®. A ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Go to
www.baptistwaypress.org or call 1-866-249-1799 toll-free for additional Bible study materials for all
ages. This lesson is not to be sold or distributed beyond the subscription agreement. The copyright
notice and identifying information in this note must be included on any copies made.