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Joshua 9:3-15
Gibeon, a sizeable city located in the area later allotted to Benjamin, lay a short distance from Jebus (Jerusalem; see Judges 19:10). The people of Gibeon were Hivites, descendants of Canaan, the grandson of Noah whom God cursed on account of his sexual perversion. God promised Abraham the land the descendants of Canaan had settled in, of which the Hivites owned a significant part. God's will concerning the land's inhabitants is unambiguous. He states multiple times that He would drive them out and require the Israelites to participate (Exodus 23:22-24, 27-32; 34:11-12; Deuteronomy 7:1-2; 9:1-5; 12:2-4; 20:16-18; 25:17-19). In Deuteronomy 7:1, God lists the Hivites among the seven great nations He judged should be utterly destroyed. He explicitly forbids making a covenant with them or even showing them mercy. This latter command is a significant point by itself—that the God of mercy would say, "Show them no mercy." God knew that these nations' influence would result in idolatry among the Israelites, and subsequently, their destruction. For their part, the Gibeonites were simply trying to save their skins. Wanting to live, they pursued this end more pragmatically than the other Canaanites, who chose to go down fighting. The Gibeonites fashioned masterful disguises and played their parts exactly right to achieve their goal. Because the Israelites judged by appearances, everything appeared legitimate. The Gibeonites deftly answered the Israelites' minor inquiries, producing false evidence to support the story. The subterfuge worked, and the Gibeonites got what they were after. God frequently warns us about deception in its various forms because it works. The serpent twisted God's words, making them seem reasonable to Eve—it worked. Bribery also works—it causes one to turn a blind eye instead of dealing righteously. Proverbs 31 concludes that "charm is deceitful" (Proverbs 31:30)—yet charm also works. Solomon failed to heed this truth, and his charming wives led him astray. Evoking pity works, as the Gibeonites proved, as does playing to other emotions. Flattery likewise succeeds. Even when someone knows he or she is being flattered, it still works because it is pleasing to the ego, and those satisfying feelings dull the mind to the deception taking place. Careers and fortunes are frequently supported by, if not forged in, dishonesty because deceit is a pragmatic way to achieve desired ends without putting in patient and honest work. Today, euphemisms like "fake it 'til you make it" describe how people misrepresent themselves to get what they want. Yet God does not operate this way. Neither is He glorified when His people misrepresent themselves using such methods. Deception can be quite effective in achieving aims, but it is a polluted spring. What may start as a shortcut or easier way to accomplish a goal cannot end with peace or fulfillment because sin cannot deliver on its promises—sin itself is deceitful (Hebrews 3:13)! God not only says do not deceive, but He also strongly cautions about being deceived because, in doing so, we will join the deceivers in drinking of that poisoned spring. Jesus advises us to judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24), which begins with seeking the all-knowing God and acknowledging our limitations. Only God sees all that is happening, and often, far more is at stake than we realize.
David C. Grabbe
Joshua and the Gibeonites (Part One)
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