Joshua 9:22–27
22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you are living within our land?
23 Now therefore, you are cursed, and you will never cease to be slaves, both gatherers of firewood and labor to draw water for the house of my God.”
24 So they answered Joshua and said, “Since your servants were fully informed that the Lord your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing.
25 And now behold, we are in your hands; do to us as it seems good and right in your sight to do.”
26 This he did to them, and saved them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.
27 But on that day Joshua made them gatherers of firewood and labor to draw water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He would choose.
The Gibeonites’ Excuse
Excuse
Joshua gathered the Gibeonites and rebuked them for their dishonesty. (1) Why did they deceive Israel by saying that they came from a far country? (2) The Gibeonites shall be slaves to Israel perpetually. The Gibeonites responded to Joshua in defense. (1) They feared not only the Israelites but the Lord who had given them this land. (2) If their lives shall be spared, they would gladly be slaves to Israel. We shall fix our eyes on the fact that their deceit came out of fear of the Lord. In deceit was their wisdom which saved their lives. We, too, should learn to be fearful of the Lord.
Blessings
Let’s look at the blessings brought by this incident. (1) The Gibeonites became both hewers of wood and drawers of water. These were the lowest level of labor in connection with the tabernacle (later temple). As commanded in the Mosaic Law, large amounts of wood and water were necessary to manage the tabernacle. The wood and water were needed to offer sacrificial animals on the altar as burnt offerings. (2) The Israelites gained the necessary manpower by acquiring the Gibeonites as slaves. This was a blessing for Israel. The reason why the Lord commanded to place the Canaanites under the ban was to cleanse the temptation of idolatry out of the land. However, since the Gibeonites became servants of the Tabernacle, it was no longer necessary to place them under the ban. (3) Though it was the lowest level of labor, the Gibeonites were blessed with a glorious service in the Lord’s tabernacle. Perhaps, we could draw connections between the Gibeonites and the New Testament-time Christians. In a later time, the Gibeonites will establish a firm position within Israel, as they will be called, “the sons of Gibbar” (Ezra 2:20), and “the temple servants” (1 Chr. 9:2, Neh. 7:60). This reminds us of Paul’s words. “But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches […]” (Rom. 11:17–18).
Today's prayer
God of Israel, I am thankful that we, who were wild branches, have been grafted into the olive tree. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.