What Does Joshua 9:3 Mean?

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

The Gibeonite deception introduces a complex ethical situation testing Israel's discernment and covenant faithfulness. The phrase "did work wilily" translates the Hebrew vaya'asu ormah (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ עָרְמָה), using the same root (arum) that describes the serpent in Eden as "subtil" or "crafty" (Genesis 3:1). This linguistic connection suggests satanic opposition to God's purposes—the Canaanites, facing divinely mandated judgment, resort to deception just as Satan deceived humanity in the garden.

The elaborate ruse—old sacks, worn-out wineskins, patched garments—demonstrates sophisticated psychological warfare. The Gibeonites understood that Israel's covenant theology distinguished between distant nations (with whom treaties were permissible, Deuteronomy 20:10-15) and Canaanite nations (to be utterly destroyed, Deuteronomy 20:16-18). By presenting themselves as distant travelers, they exploited this theological distinction, turning Israel's own covenant law against them.

From a Reformed perspective, this account warns against making decisions based solely on external appearances or human reasoning without seeking divine guidance (verse 14: "and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD"). The Gibeonites' strategy succeeded precisely because Israel relied on empirical evidence (visible wear on provisions) rather than spiritual discernment. This foreshadows New Testament warnings against being deceived by false apostles who disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).