Joshua 9:19 - Prayer Tents

Joshua 9

Gibeon

9All the kings west of the Jordan in the hills and foothills and along the Mediterranean seacoast north toward Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Girgashites, and Jebusites—got the news.H4428H5676H3383H2022H8219H2348H1419H3220H4136H3844H2850H567H3669H6522H2340H2983H80852They came together in a coalition to fight against Joshua and Israel under a single command.H6908H3162H3898H3091H3478H259H63103The people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and AiH3427H1391H8085H3091H6213H3405H58574and cooked up a ruse. They posed as travelers: their donkeys loaded with patched sacks and mended wineskins,H6213H6195H3212H6737H3947H1087H8242H2543H3196H4997H1087H1234H68875threadbare sandals on their feet, tattered clothes on their bodies, nothing but dry crusts and crumbs for food.H1087H5275H2921H7272H1087H8008H3899H6718H3001H53506They came to Joshua at Gilgal and spoke to the men of Israel, "We've come from a far-off country; make a covenant with us."H3212H3091H4264H1537H559H376H3478H935H7350H776H3772H12857The men of Israel said to these Hivites, "How do we know you aren't local people? How could we then make a covenant with you?"H376H3478H559H2340H194H3427H7130H3772H12858They said to Joshua, "We'll be your servants." Joshua said, "Who are you now? Where did you come from?"H559H3091H5650H3091H559H370H9359They said, "From a far-off country, very far away. Your servants came because we'd heard such great things about GOD, your God—all those things he did in Egypt!H559H3966H7350H776H5650H935H8034H3068H430H8085H8089H6213H471410And the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth!H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H4428H2809H5747H4428H1316H625211Our leaders and everybody else in our country told us, 'Pack up some food for the road and go meet them. Tell them, We're your servants; make a covenant with us.'H2205H3427H776H559H559H3947H6720H3027H1870H3212H7125H559H5650H3772H128512"This bread was warm from the oven when we packed it and left to come and see you. Now look at it—crusts and crumbs.H3899H2525H6679H1004H3117H3318H3212H3001H535013And our cracked and mended wineskins, good as new when we filled them. And our clothes and sandals, in tatters from the long, hard traveling."H4997H3196H4390H2319H1234H8008H5275H1086H3966H7230H187014The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn't ask GOD about it.H582H3947H6718H7592H6310H306815So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it.H3091H6213H7965H3772H1285H2421H5387H5712H765016And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along!H7097H7969H3117H310H3772H1285H8085H7138H3427H713017The People of Israel broke camp and set out; three days later they reached their towns—Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.H1121H3478H5265H935H5892H7992H3117H5892H1391H3716H881H715718But the People of Israel didn't attack them; the leaders of the congregation had given their word before the GOD of Israel. But the congregation was up in arms over their leaders.H1121H3478H5221H5387H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H5712H3885H538719The leaders were united in their response to the congregation: "We promised them in the presence of the GOD of Israel. We can't lay a hand on them now.H5387H559H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H3201H506020But we can do this: We will let them live so we don't get blamed for breaking our promise."H6213H2421H7110H7621H765021Then the leaders continued, "We'll let them live, but they will be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire congregation." And that's what happened; the leaders' promise was kept.H5387H559H2421H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H5387H169622But Joshua called the Gibeonites together and said, "Why did you lie to us, telling us, 'We live far, far away from you,' when you're our next-door neighbors?H3091H7121H1696H559H7411H559H3966H7350H3427H713023For that you are cursed. From now on it's menial labor for you—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."H779H3772H5650H2404H6086H7579H4325H1004H43024They answered Joshua, "We got the message loud and clear that GOD, your God, commanded through his servant Moses: to give you the whole country and destroy everyone living in it. We were terrified because of you; that's why we did this.H6030H3091H559H5046H5046H5650H3068H430H6680H5650H4872H5414H776H8045H3427H776H6440H3966H3372H5315H6440H6213H169725That's it. We're at your mercy. Whatever you decide is right for us, do it."H2009H3027H5869H2896H3477H6213H621326And that's what they did. Joshua delivered them from the power of the People of Israel so they didn't kill them.H6213H5337H3027H1121H3478H202627But he made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the Altar of GOD at the place GOD chooses. They still are.H3091H5414H3117H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H4196H3068H3117H4725H977