Commentary on Joshua - Keil & Delitzsch - David Cox

Keil and Delitzsch <strong>Commentary</strong> on the Old Testament
princes of the congregation sware unto them. Letting them live is the only article of
the league that is mentioned, both because this was the main point, and also with
special reference to the fact that the Gibeonites, being Canaanites, ought properly to
have been destroyed. It is true that Joshua and the princes of the congregation had not
violated any express command of God by doing this; for the only thing prohibited in
the law was making treaties with the Canaanites , which they did not suppose the
Gibeonites to be, whilst in Deut 20:11, where wars with foreign nations (not
Canaanites) are referred to, permission is given to make peace with them, so that all
treaties with foreign nations are not forbidden. But they had failed in this respect,
that, trusting to the crafty words of the Gibeonites, and to outward appearances only,
they had forgotten their attitude to the Lord their God who had promised to His
congregation, in all important matters, a direct revelation of His own will.
Joshua 9:16-17
And 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.
Three days after the treaty had been concluded, the Israelites discovered that they had
been deceived, and that
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