Bible Strands
Joshua 9:15
And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Joshua and the Israelite leaders act toward the Gibeonite envoys immediately after sampling their provisions but before discovering their true identity. This occurs three days before the deception is revealed.
The words — בְּרִית (be.Rit) = a covenant and שָׁלוֹם (sha.Lom) = peace form the phrase for a sworn peace treaty. The verb כָּרַת (kharot) = to cut or make indicates the formal, binding nature of the agreement.
The thread — The practice of offering peace before battle echoes Deuteronomy 20:10, while the Gibeonite exception is later noted in Joshua 11:19 and becomes a political liability in 2 Samuel 21:2.
Why it lands — The text records a binding oath sworn without divine consultation, placing human commitment above obedience. It demands that readers weigh the weight of sworn promises against the necessity of seeking God's direction before acting.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
Cross-references
- 2 Samuel 21:2 At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)
- Deuteronomy 20:10 When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
- Joshua 11:19 No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle.
- Joshua 6:22 Meanwhile, Joshua told the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the house of the prostitute and bring out the woman and all who are with her, just as you promised her.”
- Exodus 23:32 You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.
- Joshua 2:12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD that you will indeed show kindness to my family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
- Jeremiah 18:7 At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.