The second major military campaign described is in the southern region (9:1–10:43). To provide a context for the Gibeonites’ use of deception to win a reprieve for themselves, it is first reported that news of Israel’s victories has so concerned the kings west of the Jordan that they have decided to join forces to attack the Israelites (9:1–2). But before the actual account of that battle (10:1–43), the author introduces a different approach taken by a coalition of four Gibeonite cities (cf. 9:17) as a foil to the kings’ military action.

At this point, the Israelites have returned to their base camp in Gilgal (9:6). Having heard about the destruction of Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites decide that, instead of fighting the Israelites, they will seek an alternative solution to preserve their…