Thematic Bible: Gibeonites


Thematic Bible




And the king called the Gibeonites and spake unto them. Now these Gibeonites are not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites - and the children of Israel sware unto them. And yet Saul sought to slay them, for a zeal that he had to the children of Israel and of Judah.

But when the Inhabiters of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho, and Ai,

And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, "Peradventure you dwell among us, and then how should we make peace with you?"


And the old inhabiters that dwelt in their own possessions and cities were Israel, the priests, Levites and Nethinims.


And the Gibeonites said unto him, "We have no matter of silver or of gold with Saul or with his house: neither have we any man that we would kill in Israel." Then he said, "What say ye that I shall do for you?" And they said unto the king, "The man that consumed and imagined to bring us to nought, him we ought to destroy, that nought of him continue in any of the coasts of Israel. Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, that we may hang them up unto the LORD, in Gibeah of Saul the LORD's elect." And David said, "I will give them you." read more.
But the king had compassion on Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them: that is to say, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. But he took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah which she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Miphiyboseth, and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul which she bare to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite, and delivered them unto the hands of the Gibeonites, which hanged them in the hill before the LORD. And they fell all seven together in the first days of harvest: even in the beginning of barley harvest.


And the children of Israel slew them not, because the lords of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And therefore all the multitude murmured against the lords. But all the lords said unto all the congregation, "We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel, and therefore we may not hurt them.


But this we will do to them and let them live: and so shall no wrath be upon us because of the oath which we sware unto them." And the lords said unto them, "Let them live, that they may be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation," as the lords said unto them. Then Joshua sent for them, and talked with them, and said, "Wherefore have ye beguiled us and yet ye dwell among us? read more.
And now therefore cursed be you, and there shall not cease to be of you, bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the house of my God." And they answered Joshua and said, "It was told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabiters thereof out of your sight, and therefore we were exceeding sore afraid of our lives because of you. And now, behold, we are in thine hand; as it seemeth good and right in thine eyes to do unto us, so do." And he dealt as it is said with them, and rid them out of the hands of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that same day hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the congregation and unto the altar of God unto this day, in the place which God should choose.


But the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua unto the host to Gilgal, saying, "Withdraw not thy hands from thy servants, but come up to us: for all the kings of the Amorites which dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us." And Joshua ascended from Gilgal, both he and all the people of war with him, and all the men of might, and the LORD said unto Joshua, fear them not, for I have delivered them unto thine hand, there shall not a man of them stand before thee. read more.
And Joshua came unto them suddenly, and journeyed from Gilgal all night. And the LORD turmoiled them before Israel and slew of them a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron and slew them till they came to Azekah and Makkedah.


they played wilily, and went and sent ambassadors: and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles old and rent and knit together again, and old clouted shoes upon their feet, and old raiment upon them and all their provision of bread was dried up and hoared. And they came unto Joshua, unto the host to Gilgal, and said unto him and unto the men of Israel, "We be come from a far country, now therefore make agreement with us." read more.
And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, "Peradventure you dwell among us, and then how should we make peace with you?" And they said unto Joshua, "We are thy servants." And Joshua said unto them, "What are ye, and whence come ye?" And they answered him, "From a very far country thy servants are come, in the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond Jordan, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan which dwelt at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabiters of our country spake to us saying, 'Take victuals with you to serve by the way, and go against them, and say unto them: We are your servants.' Now therefore make a covenant of peace with us. This, our provision of bread, we took with us out of our houses, hot, the day we departed to come unto you. And now behold it is dried up and hoared. And these bottles of wine which we filled were new: and see, they be rent. And these our garments and shoes are waxen old by reason of the exceeding long journey."


Then there fell a hunger in the days of David: three years, year by year. And David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is for Saul's sake and the house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites."


The children of Gibeon, five and ninety.


And when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had destroyed it, and how that as he had done to Jericho and her king, even so he had done to Ai and her king, and how the inhabiters of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and did remain among them: then they feared exceedingly, for Gibeon was a great city, as any city of the kingdom, and thereto greater than Ai, and all her men were mighty. Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, read more.
"Come up unto me and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for they have made peace with Joshua and the children of Israel." Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon gathered themselves together, both they and all their hosts and went up and besieged Gibeon, and made war against it.


And the king called the Gibeonites and spake unto them. Now these Gibeonites are not of the children of Israel, but a remnant of the Amorites - and the children of Israel sware unto them. And yet Saul sought to slay them, for a zeal that he had to the children of Israel and of Judah.


And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to save their lives: and the lords of the congregation sware unto them.


then they feared exceedingly, for Gibeon was a great city, as any city of the kingdom, and thereto greater than Ai, and all her men were mighty.


For the children of Israel took their journey and came unto their cities the third day: and their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriathjearim.



And they answered him, "From a very far country thy servants are come, in the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond Jordan, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan which dwelt at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabiters of our country spake to us saying, 'Take victuals with you to serve by the way, and go against them, and say unto them: We are your servants.' Now therefore make a covenant of peace with us. read more.
This, our provision of bread, we took with us out of our houses, hot, the day we departed to come unto you. And now behold it is dried up and hoared. And these bottles of wine which we filled were new: and see, they be rent. And these our garments and shoes are waxen old by reason of the exceeding long journey."


Then Joshua sent for them, and talked with them, and said, "Wherefore have ye beguiled us and yet ye dwell among us? And now therefore cursed be you, and there shall not cease to be of you, bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the house of my God." And they answered Joshua and said, "It was told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabiters thereof out of your sight, and therefore we were exceeding sore afraid of our lives because of you. read more.
And now, behold, we are in thine hand; as it seemeth good and right in thine eyes to do unto us, so do." And he dealt as it is said with them, and rid them out of the hands of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that same day hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the congregation and unto the altar of God unto this day, in the place which God should choose.