They answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Unbelievers usually oppose believers as we seek to carry out God’s purpose for us in the world. They sometimes resort to deception to become part of the fellowship of God’s people for their own selfish advantages. Some of these advantages are a good reputation, business contacts, or finding a spouse.