King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 8 notes
1And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
What was there about Ai? It was a small city, so its defeat should not cause them to even bat an eye 👁🗨.
But two ✌️ possibilities.
1. The devastation without mercy of the cities Israel fought means that was their modus operandi for warfare.
This left the people with no option than to unite and fight for their lives.
2. Ai, though small, had such skills that even the other bigger nations avoided them. Probably they were like the honey 🍯 badger among nations.
We see this in their ability to defeat Israel the first time and in God requesting the entire army to go against them.
Joshua 9:1 NKJV
And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it,
2That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Same information, different responses.
To one, they amassed numbers for blind warfare. Blind in that they were going to this war to lose, yet did not even know that was a fact.
The Gibeonites looked at the strength 💪 of Egypt 🇪🇬 with its chariots, the dividing of the Red Sea 🌊, the breaking of walls by the hand of the God of Israel, and concluded that no confederacy would defeat Israel, whose God fought for them.
Joshua 9:4 NKJV
they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended,
5And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
7And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
They spoke nothing of the current battle with Ai, because presumably word of it was yet to travel to their 'far off country'.
Joshua 9:10 NKJV
and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
11Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
12This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
13And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
14And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
Constant enquiry from the Lord is the 🗝 to constant victory ✌️.
I understand Joshua; some things were obvious, so he did not seek the Lord and sought to use his own understanding.
And the Lord also said nothing to intercept. Because he probably saw the heart of the people in repentance and genuine fear 😱 of the God of Israel 🇮🇱.
So he accepted to spare them, hence his silence 🤫
Joshua 9:14 NKJV
Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.
The Lord said nothing, likely because he had mercy.
Because see how detailed he was in the matter of Achan, but was completely silent here. Later Joshua could not change their oath, because they swore on the name of the Lord.
An oath which King Saul would undo, much to the detriment of the people later.
15And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
18And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Back when words were bonds. Now we lie so much and are without honour.
No wonder we carry so little power and God does not honor our words with power and demonstrations.
20This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
So my reasoning was right... In fact, the people of the land knew full well the mission of Israel... It was no secret nor clandestine.
But if they knew the instructions of the war, then they knew why God gave such a harsh command.
Because of their wickedness and worship of devils 👿 and human sacrifice of their babies 🤱.
Yet they would not repent nor convert to the God of Israel.
They loved their wicked ways too much to change.
But the Gibeonites were wise men; no wonder the Lord spared them.
They came to reckon that it was better to be servants of the God of Israel, who visibly dwelt with his people, and to repent and defect to the God of Israel than continue to serve these dumb idols.
Smart 🧠 nation they were 👌.
Joshua 9:24 NKJV
So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.