Coalition of Forces

• The Hittites• Amorites • Canaanites • Perizzites, • Hivites • Jebusties

The Gibeonite Deception

• Gibeon is a confederation of towns north of Jerusalem. (see 9:17)

• They have heard of Israel’s victories against Egypt, Amon, Heshbon, Bashan, Jericho, and Ai.

• Instead of waiting to be destroyed they devise a plan to gain the trust of Joshua.

The Gibeonite Deception

• They took worn-out sacks for their donkeys• They took worn-out wineskins, sandals, and

clothing • All their provisions were dry and crumbly • They met with Joshua at Gilgal • They pretended to be from far away and to

have traveled great distances in order to make peace with Israel. When in reality they are next door neighbors.

The Gibeonite Deception

• Joshua and the leaders of Israel are taken in by the Gibeonite Deception (9:14)

• They make peace with them and make a covenant with them to let them live.

• Their BIGGEST mistake is that the “did not seek counsel from the LORD” (9:14)

• Why do you think they don’t seek counsel from the LORD?

The Gibeonite Deception• The Lord strictly forbids making any covenant

with any peoples in Canaan. (Exodus 34:12) • Instead of inquiring of the LORD through the

Urim and Thummim, the men of Israel trusted in their own judgment.

• They bought into the deception, and made a forbidden covenant/treaty with them.

• And because they “swore” an oath they couldn’t back out of the treaty otherwise a curse would come upon Israel.

The Gibeonite Deception• Israel DISCOVERS the deception and is not

happy. (9:16 – 18) • Israel MUMMURED – why? • They were probably upset because they

violated the rules of Deuteronomy 7 and over their inability to take control of these cities and their plunder.

• This blunder will come back to haunt Israel when Saul ignores the OATH taken here and attacks the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1-14)

The Gibeonite Consequence • Israel questions their leaders and it REVEALS

that they had not intentionally disobeyed the LORD or brought shame on Israel. (9.22-24)

• The punishment for their deception was servitude of the lowest class in the house of the LORD and to the people of Israel.

• This curse is believed to the be the fulfillment of the curse of Noah on Canaan (Genesis 9:25)

• The Gibeonites would be slaves to the people and to the tabernacle. It would be a constant reminder that Canaanite worship was over.

The kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon all make a pact to join together and strike Gibeon. (10:1-6)

Gibeon Plea for Help

• And the men of Gibeon REQUESTED Joshua and Israel to come their rescue (10:6)

• So Joshua assembled all the people of war, all the mighty men of VALOR.

• YAHWEH spoke: Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you. (10:8)

• As ISRAEL marched all night to Gibeon they attacked in the morning and the LORD “threw into panic” all the enemy forces. (10:9-10)

As they fled before Israel, the LORD

threw down large stones from heaven

on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the

hailstones than the sons of Israel killed

with the sword. (10:10 – 11)

Joshua said “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. (10:12 –

13)

The Day The Sun Stood Still

God’s power had been so ordered that the sun retained its course and motion; but when

Joshua prayed in his distress and commanded the sun to stand still, the sun stood still at

Joshua’s word. Ask the astronomers how great a miracle this is! But what is the reason? No

other than that God does the will of those who fear Him and subordinates His will to ours,

provided we continue to fear him - Martin Luther

Five Amorite Kings Executed

• The five Amorite Kings fled and hid at Makkedah = town in the western foothills near Azekah.

• Joshua orders a large stone to be rolled in front of the cave essentially locking the kings in the cave while the armies pursue and defeat the remaining enemy forces (10:18 – 21)

• The kings then were brought out from the cave and the feet of the Israel placed upon their necks (10:22 – 24)

Five Amorite Kings Executed

• And Joshua said, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight” (10:25)

• The five kings were hanged to death during the day and then eventually brought down, placed in the cave, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave.

• Being hanged on a tree symbolized a “curse from God”

Put Your Feet On Their Necks

• This was a humiliating gesture that symbolized that the kings were completely under the power of the victors

• This symbolism is used elsewhere in Scripture to show the LORD’s rule

• See Psalm 110:5; Malachi 4:3; 1 Corinthians 15:25 – 28; Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 2:14 – 15

So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none

remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the LORD God of Israel

commanded. And Joshua struck them…and captured all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought

for Israel. Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

(Joshua 10:42 – 43)