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[49]
But the Gibeonites, who inhabited very near to Jerusalem, when they
saw what miseries had happened to the inhabitants of Jericho; and to those
of Ai, and suspected that the like sore calamity would come as far as themselves,
they did not think fit to ask for mercy of Joshua; for they supposed they
should find little mercy from him, who made war that he might entirely
destroy the nation of the Canaanites; but they invited the people of Cephirah
and Kiriathjearim, who were their neighbors, to join in league with them;
and told them that neither could they themselves avoid the danger they
were all in, if the Israelites should prevent them, and seize upon them:
so when they had persuaded them, they resolved to endeavor to escape the
forces of the Israelites. Accordingly, upon their agreement to what they
proposed, they sent ambassadors to Joshua to make a league of friendship
with him, and those such of the citizens as were best approved of, and
most capable of doing what was most advantageous to the multitude. Now
these ambassadors thought it dangerous to confess themselves to be Canaanites,
but thought they might by this contrivance avoid the danger, namely, by
saying that they bare no relation to the Canaanites at all, but dwelt at
a very great distance from them: and they said further, that they came
a long way, on account of the reputation he had gained for his virtue;
and as a mark of the truth of what they said, they showed him the habit
they were in, for that their clothes were new when they came out, but were
greatly worn by the length of thee they had been on their journey; for
indeed they took torn garments, on purpose that they might make him believe
so. So they stood in the midst of the people, and said that they were sent
by the people of Gibeon, and of the circumjacent cities, which were very
remote from the land where they now were, to make such a league of friendship
with them, and this on such conditions as were customary among their forefathers;
for when they understood that, by the favor of God, and his gift to them,
they were to have the possession of the land of Canaan bestowed upon them,
they said that they were very glad to hear it, and desired to be admitted
into the number of their citizens. Thus did these ambassadors speak; and
showing them the marks of their long journey, they entreated the Hebrews
to make a league of friendship with them. Accordingly Joshua, believing
what they said, that they were not of the nation of the Canaanites, entered
into friendship with them; and Eleazar the high priest, with the senate,
sware to them that they would esteem them their friends and associates,
and would attempt nothing that should be unfair against them, the multitude
also assenting to the oaths that were made to them. So these men, having
obtained what they desired, by deceiving the Israelites, went home: but
when Joshua led his army to the country at the bottom of the mountains
of this part of Canaan, he understood that the Gibeonites dwelt not far
from Jerusalem, and that they were of the stock of the Canaanites; so he
sent for their governors, and reproached them with the cheat they had put
upon him; but they alleged, on their own behalf, that they had no other
way to save themselves but that, and were therefore forced to have recourse
to it. So he called for Eleazar the high priest, and for the senate, who
thought it right to make them public servants, that they might not break
the oath they had made to them; and they ordained them to be so. And this
was the method by which these men found. safety and security under the
calamity that was ready to overtake them.
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