And they answered Ioshua, and said, Because it was certainely told thy seruants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his seruant Moses to giue you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our liues because of you, and haue done this thing. Joshua 9:24 (KJV)
Historical Context: Joshua 9 is part of the narrative of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership. Prior to this chapter the Israelites had defeated the cities of Jericho and Ai. The inhabitants of the land, especially the people of Gibeon, became aware of Israel’s victories and devised a plan to deceive Joshua and secure a peace treaty.
Deception of the Gibeonites: In Joshua 9:3‑15 the Gibeonites, a nearby Canaanite city, sent a delegation to Joshua pretending to be from a distant land. They dressed in worn‑out clothes and brought moldy bread, portraying themselves as travelers who had journeyed a long distance to make a covenant of peace with Israel. Their intention was to avoid being destroyed like the other Canaanite nations.
Joshua’s Mistake: Joshua, without consulting God or seeking His guidance, made a covenant of peace with the Gibeonites based on their deceptive appearance and claims. In verse 14 Joshua and the leaders of Israel “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.” They were deceived by the Gibeonites’ clever scheme and failed to inquire of God’s will.
The Gibeonites’ Explanation: When the deception was eventually exposed, the Gibeonites confessed to Joshua. They explained that they had heard of Israel’s victories and the commandment given to Moses by God to conquer the land and destroy its inhabitants. Fear for their lives, knowing Israel’s conquest was inevitable, drove them to deception in order to secure their survival.
Lessons Learned:
- Seek God’s Counsel – The passage underscores the importance of seeking God’s guidance in every decision. Joshua and the Israelite leaders erred by not consulting the Lord before making the covenant, reminding believers to pursue prayer, Scripture study, and godly counsel.
- Consequences of Acting Independently – Joshua’s failure led to a treaty with a pagan nation, resulting in Israel’s inability to destroy the Gibeonites and creating a future snare (Joshua 9:22‑27). This warns against relying on one’s own understanding (Proverbs 3:5‑6).
- Honoring Covenants – Despite the deception, Joshua and the leaders honored the covenant they had made, demonstrating the value of integrity and keeping one’s word even when it is difficult.
- God’s Sovereignty – The incident shows God’s sovereignty and His ability to work through human mistakes. Though Joshua erred, God continued to fulfill His promises to Israel.
In conclusion, Joshua 9:24 provides valuable lessons about seeking God’s counsel, the dangers of independent action, the importance of honoring covenants, and recognizing God’s sovereign use of even our failures.
