ST. CATHARINES CONCORDIA - Brock University

John R. Wilch: ARRAM IN EGYPT: SINNER OR SAINT? 23
We likewisc praise thc courage of Rahab of Jericho who risked her life 10 deceive
her king by lying to his soldiers about the Israelite spies hiding in her house (Josh.
2:l-7). Similarly, Jehosheba hid Prince Soash [or six years against the vengeful Queen
Athaliah, and Jehosheba's husband, High Priest Jehoiada, organized a conspiracy
against the lyrarltlical queen at the Temple on the Sabbath for the sake of God's people
and thc truc religion (2 Kn. 1 1 : 1 - 1 X). The Israelite Ehud deceived King Eglon of Moab
by hiding a sword under his clothing, drawing it out unsuspectedly with his left hand
to assassinate him (Jdg. 3: 16-30). One of the "worst" deceptions was perpetrated by
Jael, who took advantage of hcr family's friendly terms with King Jabin 01' HUor to
entice his fleeing general, Sisera, to rest in her tent, but then murdcrcd him in his
sleep--which sinister deed was rorelolcl by the LORD and praised by the prophetess
Deborah (4:9, 17-21; 5:24-27).
David saved his skin from the Philistines when he in desparation had fled to them
from King Saul by acting as if he were insane, so that they let their enemy go (l San.
21: 10-15). King Solomon deceptively threatened to dividc a surviving baby in two in
order to reveal its Lrue mother--a ploy that was recognized by all Israel as proof of
God's blessing of wisdom (1 Kn. 3:24-28). Queen Esther deceived Harnan by luring
him to a dinner with King Xesxes, only to unmask him as the enemy of hcr Jewish
people (Est. 578; 7:l-h).
As the prime minister of Egypt, Joseph dcccivcd his brothers by not revealing his
identity Lo them. He proceeded to increase their agony and that of their aged father by
secrctly returning their money into their sacks of grain, by requiring them to bring
favourite son Benjamin back with thcm, and by having his silvcr cup planted in
Benjamin's sack (Gen. 42:7-38; 43:23-44:17). Israel's midwives defiantly countermanded
Pharaoh's ordcrs to kill newborn baby boys of Israel and deceived him by
claiming that the Israelite mothers were so healthy that they gave birth bcfore the
midwives could arrive. They thereby earned the reward of the LORD (Ex. 1:16-21).
Abram sprang a surprise attack at night from at lcast two sides on the camp of the
Ihm kings who had defeated Sodom and taken captives, including Lot and his family
(Gcn. 14: 15). For such a good purpose, Abram did not flinch at using such a sneaky
manoeuvre to outwit the stronger evil foc. That this subversive device met with the
LORD'S approval is made clearly obvious, particularly by Abram's being blessed in
the Narnc of "God Most High, the Creator of heaven and earth" by Melchizedek, Lhe
king of Salem and the "priest of God Most High" (14:18-20, see v. 22). Gideon
similarly deceived a gigantic Midianite army by surrounding it with his mere 300 men
and driving thcm into a panic by waving torches and blowing trumpets in [he middle
of the night, so that they killed each other or were cut down as they tried to flee--an
operation against Tsrael's and God's evil enemies that was initiated and carefully
prepared by Divine guidance (Jdg. 6:ll-7:25).
With [he LORD'S approval, Joshua deceived the asmy of Ai with an ambush in
ordcr to defeat them (Josh. 8:4-27). When Moah revolted against Israel, the LORD
assisted the combined army of Israel, Judah and Edom by instructing them through