The Gibeonite Conspiracy (Joshua 9:3-27).
The next shock that shook Canaan was that with Jericho, Ai and Bethel defeated, and a way into Canaan having been obtained, and with the covenant having been made by Israel with the ‘foreign' people of Shechem, the large and powerful Canaanite city of Gibeon capitulated and sought a treaty with the newcomers. The Israelite power base was growing. It is this capitulation of Gibeon who obtained a treaty through deceit that the remainder of this chapter is about.
‘And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai.'
The inhabitants of Gibeon may well have felt that they were next on the list to be attacked. Messengers would have raced in to give them warning to prepare themselves and have described in vivid detail the total destruction of Jericho and Ai and the decimation of the army of Bethel.
Gibeon was a fairly important ‘city' over a small confederation of smaller ‘cities' (as shown by its description as ‘as one of the royal cities' - Joshua 10:2 and see Joshua 9:17) inhabited by the Hivites/Horites (Joshua 10:7 - compare Genesis 26:2 with Genesis 26:20) and ruled over by a council of elders (Joshua 9:11). It was what we now know as El-Jib, nine kilometres (five to six miles) north of Jerusalem. This is one case where we have actual evidence as the handles of storage jars were found at the site, stamped with a royal seal or inscribed with the owners' names and the name Gibeon. In the time of David the Tabernacle was set up there (1 Chronicles 16:39; 1 Chronicles 21:29 see also 1 Kings 3:4-5)
The site has not yet revealed traces of a late bronze age settlement but burials at the time do indicate that it was then occupied. Thus it was probably not then a large city or one with a good defensive capability. It is described as ‘greater than Ai' (Joshua 10:2). But we must remember that they were described as ‘but few'. They clearly had little confidence in being able to defend themselves against a nation the size of Israel whose God could do such wonders as those that they had heard of. God's ‘hornet' of fear and doubt was doing its work.
‘ They also did work subtly, and went and made as if they were ambassadors, and took old sacks on their asses and wine containers, old and torn and bound up.'
It was clearly well known that Israel were set to destroy all Canaanites. Their probable alliance with Shechem was also well known. These two factors explain the Gibeonite approach. If they could pretend to be non-Canaanite YHWH admirers (Joshua 9:9) like Shechem they might be able to unite with these fierce and uncompromising people.
The ‘also' refers to the many different ways in which peoples were preparing themselves to battle with Israel as they sought to work out ways to deal with the Israelite menace. It may also have in mind the cunning of the king of Ai in secretly introducing troops from Bethel without the Israelites knowing about it, and the act of the inhabitants of Jericho in shutting themselves up in their city. Alternately it may refer to the subtle cleverness shown by Israel in capturing Jericho and Ai (stories had no doubt begun to circulate which demonstrated this).
“Went and made as if they were ambassadors.” The word is tsayar in the hithpael (reflexive - ‘made themselves ambassadors'), a unique usage in the Old Testament. Its root is related to the word translated ‘ambassador' in Isaiah 18:2; Isaiah 57:9; Isaiah 59:19. The versions translate it as ‘took for themselves provisions' which requires a small change in the Hebrew text (tsyd - see Joshua 9:5 and Joshua 9:12 - instead of tsyr - ‘d' and ‘r' are very similar in Hebrew) but that may have resulted from the fact that they did not recognise the original word. It is a good principle not to alter the Hebrew text without extremely good cause. Thus the idea here is that they wanted Israel to think that they were ambassadors from a non-Canaanite country.
“Took old sacks on their asses and wine containers, old and torn and bound up.” They wanted to give the impression of having come on a long journey (see Joshua 9:9; Joshua 9:13). The ‘binding up' indicated the use of cord or similar to give the impression of trying to keep the old skins together.
‘ And old shoes and patched on their feet, and old clothing on them and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become mouldy.'
They wore shoes that were clearly in bad condition and had had to be patched and otherwise held together. Their clothing was old and ragged. Their bread was crumbling and spotted and therefore mouldy. They gave all the appearance of having come on a long and arduous journey.
‘ And 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 yourselves a covenant-treaty with us.” '
The covenant was to be between people and people so that emphasis is placed on ‘to him and to the men of Israel'. The ‘men of Israel' would be the leaders and elders of the people. If Joshua and Israel had just concluded a similar covenant with the men of Shechem which had had the approval of YHWH we can understand why Joshua felt no harm in it. He had grown complacent and so did not consult YHWH. He probably saw them almost in terms of Shechem. One step led to another, but God should have been consulted all the way. The same failure to consult had happened at Ai.
Once the covenant was entered into it would involve mutual protection and mutual responsibility. Such a covenant was looked on as inviolable and sacred. Even when it was discovered that it had been obtained by false pretences it could not be changed or cancelled. And it was binding through the centuries. When Saul slew some Gibeonites without good reason, punishment had to be exacted (2 Samuel 21:1-9).
“We have come from a far country.” This was a direct lie, but necessary for the purpose that they hoped to achieve. They were denying that they were Canaanites. It made the elders of Israel think that they were simply protecting their future.