Joshua 9

The Flower-Hills Pagans Trick-Squat In Israel1

Soon news of [Israel banishing the pagans] reaches all the kings west of the Jordan river: (the kings in the hills, [and in the] valleys, and [on] the whole coast of the Great [Mediterranean] Sea opposite Lebanon {White-Peaks}. [The terrified nations include] the Hittite {Sons-Of-Terror}, Amorite {Mountaineers}, Canaanite {Mercenaries}, Perizzite {Plainsmen}, Hivite {Villagers}, and the Jebusite {Threshers}).

Those kings gather together as one to fight with JAHshua and with Israel.

The inhabitants of Gibeon {Flower-Hills} also hear how JAHshua [banished the demon-spawn of] Jericho {Moon-Spirit} and Ai {Ruin-Heap}.

So [some Gibeonite spies] craft a clever deception, 😇. They pretend to be ambassadors. On their donkeys, they strap old sacks and old, cracked, patched wine-skins.
This deception ends in a catastrophic "civil" war.

The spies latch old, patched sandals on their feet. They don old [ambassadorial] apparel. They [load their food bags with] dry, moldy bread.

The spies ride to JAHshua's camp at Gilgal {Wheel}. They lie to JAHshua, and to the men of Israel, “We've come from a far country. So make a [peace] agreement with us.”

The men of Israel answer the Hivite {Camper} spies, “Maybe [you're lying]. [Perhaps] you're really from close by. How can we make a covenant with you [if we don't know you]?”

The spies answer JAHshua, “We're your servants.” JAHshua asks, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

The spies lie to JAHshua, “We (your servants) have journeyed from a very far country. The Name [reputation] of YHVH your Elohim drew us. We heard of YAH's fame, and every [miracle] He did in Egypt.

—and [we heard about] everything YAH did to [destroy] the two kingdoms of the Amorite {Mountaineers} beyond [the] Jordan [river]: to Sihon {Tornado} king of Heshbon {Intelligence}, and to [fat giant] Og {Round}, king of Bashan {Fruitful}, [who reigned from] Ashtaroth {Easter}.

So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country commissioned us. [They] said, ‘Take food with you for your trip. Travel to meet the Israelites. Say to them, ‘We're your servants; so now make a peace-treaty with us.’

As our food, we took this bread hot from our houses on the day we left to come to you. But now, look: it's dry and moldy.

These bags of wine were new when we filled them. Now look: they're torn. And look: our clothes and shoes wore out on our very long voyage.”

The Israelite men check the spies’ rotten food, 😇. But [the Israelis] forget to seek counsel from the mouth of YHVH.
That's our mistake: We trust our 5 senses instead of trusting our Creator.

So JAHshua makes peace with the [spies]. He [foolishly] obligates himself to a treaty with their [nation]. [Joshua promises to never participate in any action which YHVH might take to deprive the Gibeonites of] life. Israel's leaders [stupidly] ratify that covenant by sworn oath!

3 days after the Israelites make [that] league with the spies, 😇, the Israelites find out that the spies were really the Israelites’ neighbors, living close-by.
Too bad. Under Hebrew Law, contracts cannot be rescinded for fraud. Buyer beware.

The sons of Israel journey on. On the 3rd day they arrive at the spies’ cities: Gibeon {Flower-Hills}, Chephirah {Covered-Village}, Beeroth {Wells}, and Kirjath-Yearim {City-Of-Forests}.

But the sons of Israel refuse to evict the [pagan inhabitants of the] spies’ cities, because the leaders of the [Israeli] assembly swore to the spies [an oath of peace in the Name of] YHVH Elohim of Israel. So, 😇, the whole [Israeli] assembly grumble against [their] leaders.
evict = #5221 nakah = beat, or cast out

But all the leaders answer the massive crowd, “We swore to the spies [an oath backed up by the enforcing power of] YHVH, Israel's Sovereign. So now we can't touch the [liars].
Unless you swore to do a criminal act, you have to do what you have sworn an oath to do, even if it hurts you. Even if you were forced to swear the oath under fall pretenses. That's why you should NEVER swear any oath!

We'll let the spies’ people live, to prevent [YAH's] fire-rage from falling on us [in punishment] for breaking the oath we swore to them.”

[Israel's] leaders add, “Let [our allies, the liars, stay] living [near us]. But [pay them back for their duplicity by making] them [serve] our whole [nation] as woodcutters and water-carriers.” So, 😇, [Israel's] princes [technically] keep their oath.

JAHshua calls the [Gibeonite] spies. He asks them, “Why did you lie to us? You said, ‘We [come] from very far [away] from you.’ In fact, you live close to us!

[I would have merely banished you. Then you would have lived free. But] now you're under a curse. None of your [people] will be freed from being bound-servants, woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my Elohim.”

The [spies] answer JAHshua, “We (your servants) lied because [eyewitnesses] clearly warned us that YHVH your Elohim commanded His servant Moses to give you the whole earth, and to overthrow all the inhabitants of the earth before you. So we were scared to death because of you!

So now we're in your grip. Do to us whatever you see as good and right.”

So, 😇, [Joshua] saves the [lying, devil-worshipping Gibeonites] from the Israelites. [Israel] refrains from striking the [Gibeonites].

That day JAHshua decrees, “Wherever [YHVH] chooses to put his altar, the Gibeonites will [serve] as woodcutters and water carriers for the [Israeli] assembly.” That relationship continues as of the day [of this writing], 😇.