The Dilemma of Keeping Promises: When Divine Rules Clash

In this article, you will learn how Joshua 9:18 contradicts Exodus 23:32, Deuteronomy 7:2, Deuteronomy 20:16-17, Judges 2:2-3 and Numbers 30:2. Find the translations at the bottom of the page..

In the complex narrative of the Israelites’ conquests, a significant event in Joshua 9:18 presents a moral and spiritual conundrum: What happens when keeping a promise conflicts with divine commands? This passage recounts how the leaders of Israel were tricked by the Gibeonites into making a peace treaty. Despite discovering the deception, they honored their oath due to its sanctity, as it was made in the name of God.

However, this act contradicts earlier divine instructions. For instance, in Exodus 23:32, God explicitly instructs the Israelites not to make covenants with the land's inhabitants. Similarly, Deuteronomy 7:2 categorically commands the Israelites to destroy these people and avoid showing mercy. The tension escalates with Deuteronomy 20:16-17, which orders them to annihilate every living being in these cities, leaving no room for compromise.

The confusion deepens in Judges 2:2-3, which chastises Israel for not obeying God's commands and warns of dire consequences for keeping treaties. It's almost as if these verses highlight a parental warning—reminding children of the ramifications of disobedience, despite a previous promise they feel obligated to keep.

Additionally, Numbers 30:2 stresses the gravity of keeping oaths made to God, paralleling the Israelites’ dilemma in Joshua. The Gibeonites’ oath was founded on deceit, yet the Israelites felt bound by it, representing a tricky predicament. It's like making a commitment based on false premises—do you honor the promise or the principle behind it?

These conflicting scriptures highlight a tension between upholding integrity in promises and obeying divine commands. It poses a broader question on moral priorities: Is it more important to maintain one's honor, or to follow God’s explicit instructions, especially when those paths diverge? Such biblical dilemmas invite reflection upon the nature of obedience, integrity, and divine will in our lives.