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Joshua 10:1–6
“Therefore the five kings of the Amorites … gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it. And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua” (Josh. 10:5–6a).
The opening verses of Joshua 9 indicate a new willingness, perhaps borne out of desperation, on the part of the Canaanites to fight Israel. The Gibeonites adopt a different strategy, using falsehood to gain a treaty at the cost of their own enslavement. But no other Canaanite cities are inclined to take that path; in the pride of their hearts, they would rather die resisting Israel and its God than remain alive as servants. And so, as chapter 10 opens, several cities from southern Canaan unite for battle.
This confederation is called by the king of Jerusalem, Adoni-Zedek. His name means “lord of righteousness,” but he shows himself an enemy of God and His people. Adoni-Zedek and his people become extremely alarmed by Israel’s conquests of Jericho and Ai, and by the unexpected treaty between Gibeon and Israel. Gibeon’s unilateral peace-making seems to perturb him especially, for in terms of its size and strength Gibeon was on a par with the other royal city-states of the land, though it was ruled by elders (9:11) instead of a king. Its capitulation is a major blow to any Canaanite resistance to Israel. Furthermore, by subjugating Gibeon, Israel gains control of a plateau lying across the midsection of Canaan and effectively separates the northern and southern halves of the land. Thus, in an effort to blunt Israel’s advantage (and probably to punish the Gibeonites, too), Adoni-Zedek calls on the kings of four other southern Canaanite cities—Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—to unite with him in attacking Gibeon, and they respond.
The Gibeonites, outnumbered by this five-king alliance, quite naturally turn to their new masters, the Israelites. They appeal for urgent assistance, asking that Israel not “forsake” them. Matthew Henry writes, “It is the duty of masters to take care of the poorest and meanest of their servants, and not to see them wronged when it is in the power of their hand to right them.” Joshua, who already has shown his fidelity to the Gibeonites, prepares to heed their summons.
As we will see, there is nothing coincidental about the formation of this confederation of kings. Rather, as Henry writes, God Himself has caused it to come together in order “to gather them as sheaves into the floor, to fall together under the flail (Mic. 4:12).”
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Like the Canaanite kings, unsaved men are at war with God and prefer to perish than submit to Him. They are utterly doomed unless God changes their hearts. As His ambassadors, do your part to call men to humble themselves before God. Many will refuse, but His Word assures us He will have mercy on some. Call them to surrender.
For Further Study
- Nehemiah 9:16–17
- Psalm 2:1–3
- Hebrews 12:25
- James 4:7
- 1 Peter 5:6