Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
As Israel’s fame spread, certain Canaanite tribes joined forces to resist any further advances (9:1-2). However, the people of Gibeon and three other towns in the central highlands thought of a different way to protect themselves. Knowing that Israel would destroy all the inhabitants of Canaan, they tricked Israel’s leaders into agreeing not to kill them. They did this by pretending that they were not from Canaan at all, but were from a distant country (3-15). The Israelites were angry when they discovered the truth, but the leaders would not break their promise. They allowed the Gibeonites to live, but put them to work for Israel (16-21). The Gibeonites were grateful to be alive and willingly submitted to Israel’s rule (22-27).