Jos 9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Josh 9:1-27: 9:1-27 Joshua once again failed to consult God (9:14 ; cp. 7:2-4 ), this time over an unexpected request. Other ancient Near Eastern accounts tell only of a leader’s triumphs; this author also recorded the shortcomings of Joshua and Israel’s elders. The real hero of the story is God, whose accomplishments the author wished to tell. 9:1 Hittites ... Jebusites: See study note on 3:10. • The fertile region of lower hills between the highlands of Judah and the southern coastal plain was known as the western foothills. • Although not all of the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea was occupied during this period, several important cities did exist. The kings of those small city-states, as far north as Mount Carmel, joined the southern coalition to resist Israel’s advances.

Summary for Josh 9:1-27: 9:1-27 ^a Joshua once again failed to consult God (9:14 ^b; cp. 7:2-4 ^c), this time over an unexpected request. Other ancient Near Eastern accounts tell only of a leader’s triumphs; this author also recorded the shortcomings of Joshua and Israel’s elders. The real hero of the story is God, whose accomplishments the author wished to tell. 9:1 ^d Hittites ... Jebusites: See study note on 3:10.

• The fertile region of lower hills between the highlands of Judah and the southern coastal plain was known as the western foothills.

• Although not all of the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea was occupied during this period, several important cities did exist. The kings of those small city-states, as far north as Mount Carmel, joined the southern coalition to resist Israel’s advances.
9:2 ^e Chapter 10 ^f provides a more complete description of these kings and their reasons for forming a coalition to fight ... the Israelites.
9:3 ^g The people of Gibeon deceitfully attempted to make a covenant with Israel. The town of Gibeon was on the plateau just north of Jerusalem (see study note on 7:2), not more than fifteen miles from Israel’s camp at Gilgal.
Summary for Josh 9:4-6: 9:4-6 ^h Long-distance travel was difficult, dirty, and dangerous in those days. If they were to carry off their deception, the Gibeonite supplies, clothes, and even food had to look the part.
Summary for Josh 9:7-8: 9:7-8 ⁱ The name Hivites is known only from the Bible and refers to a non-Semitic ethnic group that lived in various parts of Canaan (see Gen 34:2 ^j; 36:2 ^k; Exod 23:23 ^l, 28 ^m).

• How do we know you don’t live nearby? Israel’s leaders raised the possibility of deception. Joshua followed the Gibeonites’ evasive reply by asking two direct questions. However, Joshua could have received a direct answer by consulting the Lord (Josh 9:14 ⁿ).
Summary for Josh 9:9-10: 9:9-10 ^o in Egypt: See Exod 7–14 ^p.

• kings ... Sihon ... Og: See Num 21 ^q.
Summary for Josh 9:11-13: 9:11-13 ^r Distracted by the flattering words about God and the notion that a foreign people wanted to make a treaty with them, none of Israel’s leaders noticed that the Gibeonites had failed to answer Joshua’s questions.

• If the Israelites spared their lives, the Gibeonites were willing to be Israel’s servants and swear to a treaty with Israel. This request should have raised suspicions among Israel’s leaders: Why would people from a distant land be concerned about a treaty of protection?
9:14 ^s Israel’s leaders examined the bread to verify the Gibeonites’ story, but Joshua neglected to consult the Lord. This same oversight had cost lives at Ai, whereas the victories at Jericho and Ai had both been won when Israel followed God’s instructions precisely.
9:15 ^t Israel entered into a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. The Israelites were God’s vassals, having entered into a suzerain-vassal treaty with God at Sinai (see study note on Exod 20:1–23:33). Israel did not have authority to enter into treaties without the approval of their own suzerain.

• guaranteed their safety (literally cut with them a covenant for their lives): Nations ratified covenants by a ceremony that involved cutting sacrificial animals in half. The parties to the covenant walked between the two animal halves (cp. Gen 15:9-18 ^u) to symbolize their commitment to be cut in two like the sacrifice if one violated the terms of the covenant. Covenants also were written documents, sometimes chiseled in stone and set up in a public area for all to see and remember (see study note on Josh 8:32).

• In Israel, a binding oath was sworn in the name of the Lord. Violating the oath invited the Lord’s judgment for swearing falsely (Exod 20:7 ^v).
9:16 ^w lived nearby! In reporting Israel’s discovery, the author repeated the word the Israelites had used to voice their suspicion of the Gibeonites (9:7 ^x).
9:17 ^y Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim were on the plateau northwest of Jerusalem and southwest of Bethel and Ai (see study note on 7:2).
Summary for Josh 9:18-21: 9:18-21 ^z Israel was not entitled to break this treaty even though the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites into making it. Breaking a covenant sworn by an oath in the presence of the Lord would have made light of God’s name and honor (cp. Gen 27:30-38 ^aa).
9:22 ^ab As the leader of Israel, Joshua was within his rights when he called together the Gibeonites to question them.

• you live right here among us? Joshua’s use of this phrase tacitly acknowledged that he should not have accepted the word of the Gibeonites without consulting the Lord.
9:23 ^ac The Gibeonites were cursed, meaning they were diminished to the status of servants.

• At that time, the house of ... God was the Tabernacle; later, it was the Temple at Jerusalem.
Summary for Josh 9:24-25: 9:24-25 ^ad The response of the Gibeonites amounted to a statement of faith in the Lord: They acted deceptively because they believed that God would enable Israel to conquer Canaan.
Summary for Josh 9:26-27: 9:26-27 ^ae This summary closes the account of Joshua’s second and last major mistake in leadership.

• to this day: See study note on 4:9.