Joshua 9:4

"But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,"

Key Reflection

This verse sets the stage for the Gibeonites' strategic ruse, motivated by the reports of Joshua's military successes at Jericho and Ai. The inhabitants of Gibeon sought a similar divine favor and protection through deceit, highlighting themes of both divine might and human ingenuity in biblical narratives.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

They did work wilily -literally, “they also,” or “they too, did work, etc.” The “also” serves, apparently, to connect the stratagem of the Gibeonites with that employed by the Israelites before Ai. It hints that the Gibeonites resolved to meet craft with craft. Rent and bound up -i. e. the wine skins were torn and roughly repaired by tying up the edges of the tear. The more thorough and careful way, hardly feasible in a hasty journey, would have been to insert a patch.

More from Joshua 9

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Go deeper with Bible.talk - your AI Bible study companion