Yehoshua | Joshua

When all the kings that were on the [western] side of the Jordan — in the mountain and in the lowland and on the entire shore of the Great [Mediterranean] Sea opposite the Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivvite, and the Jebusite — heard,
9:1
they gathered together to wage war with Joshua and Israel, with a single accord.
9:2
The inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.
9:3
They also acted — [but] with guile — and went and disguised themselves as ambassadors. They took well-worn sacks for their donkeys; well-worn, cracked, and split wineskins;
:4
They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; now seal a covenant with us.”
:6
They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very distant land for the sake of Hashem, your God. We have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt.
:9
This is our bread: It was hot when we packed it for our provisions from our houses, on the day we went forth to go to you; now behold, it is dry and has become toasted.
:12
These wineskins were new when we filled them; [now] behold, they are cracked! These are our clothes and our shoes; they are well-worn from the very long journey.”
:13
The men accepted their deception, but they did not ask for the word of Hashem.
:14
Joshua made peace with them and sealed a covenant with them to let them live; the leaders of the assembly swore to them.
:15
It happened at the end of three days after they had sealed a covenant with them that they heard that they were neighbors of theirs and that they dwelled in their midst.
:16
The Children of Israel did not smite them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn to them by Hashem, God of Israel; but the entire assembly complained against the leaders.
:18
All the leaders said to the entire assembly, “We have sworn to them by Hashem, God of Israel; now we may not touch them.
:19
Then Joshua summoned [the Gibeonites] and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, “We are very distant from you.’ when you dwell in our midst?
:22
Now you are cursed; slaves shall never cease from among you — woodchoppers and water drawers — for the House of my God.”
:23
They answered Joshua and said, “Because it was told to your servants that Hashem, your God, had commanded Moses His servant to give you the entire land and to exterminate all the inhabitants of the land from before you, we were most fearful for our lives because of you, so we did this thing.
:24
And now, we are in your hand; whatever seems good and right in your eyes to do with us — do.”
:25

Daily Holy Bible Reading

1 And it was when all the kings that were on this side of the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the valley, and on all of the shore of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard (of this),
2 That they gathered together to war with Joshua and with Israel, with a single accord.
3 And the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.
4 And they also acted with wile, and they went, and disguised as ambassadors, and they took worn sacks for their donkeys, and wine bottles, rotten, split, and tied together.
5 And worn, patched shoes on their feet, and worn garments upon them, and all the bread of their provisions was dry and mouldy.
6 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: “We have come from a distant land, and now make a covenant with us.”
7 And each of the men of Israel said to the Hivites: “Perhaps you dwell in my midst, and how can I make a covenant with you?”
8 And they said to Joshua: “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you and from where do you come?”
9 And they said to him, “From a very distant land have your servants come, because of the Name of the Lord your God, for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt.
10 And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.
11 And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go towards them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants; and now make a covenant with us.’
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we set out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become mouldy.
13 And these wine-skins which we filled, were new; and, behold they are split. And these our garments and our shoes are worn because of the very long journey.
14 And the men took of their provision, and did not ask counsel of the mouth of the Lord.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore to them.
16 And it was at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18 And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the princes.
19 And all the Princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel; now, therefore, we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them, and let them live; and there will be no wrath upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”
21 And the princes said to them, “Let them live..” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us?
23 And now you are cursed, and there shall never fail to be slaves from you, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
24 And they answered Joshua, and said, “Because it was certainly told to your servants how 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; and we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. As it seems good and right to you to do to us, do.”
26 And he did so to them, and he delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He would choose.

Exposé | Moral

Deception Remains A Deception Despite Good Intention

Nonetheless, it depends on the degree or severity.

If it does not involve idol worship, the consequence may not be grave.