Wednesday Night Study Sheet--Joshua 9

 

The ninth chapter of Joshua revolves around dishonesty of the Hittites, Amorites, the Canaanites, and Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites toward the Isrealites, and a lack of "counsel" with the Lord on behalf of the latter party. These foreign tribes were well aware of the strength of God, and chose to confront His people with deception rather than passively allowing themselves to be destroyed, as was the apparent precedent. "From a very far country your servants have come", they said to Joshua, when in fact they lived as near as the Great Sea. They dressed themselves in old clothing, and equipped themselves with molded bread and cracking wineskins to simulate a distant journey. Without appealing to God for guidance, as previously noted, a covenant was made with the foreigners. Three days later, the truth of the situation was heard by Joshua and his men. Due to their bondage to the oath, they did not kill the deceivers, but subjected them to servantry "even to this day."

1. Where did the travelers come from?

 

2. What was it that the travelers wanted from the Israelites?

 

3. What had been the command of the Lord about what Israel was to do with the idolatrous people who were living in the promised land at the time of the Israelites' arrival?

 

4. What is a valid application of the lesson of Joshua 9 to the Christian today?