Gibeon

A city in Canaan about fifteen miles west of Jerusalem. When the Gibeonites heard that the Israelites had defeated Jericho and other cities, they tricked Joshua into making a treaty with them by pretending they came from far away. When Joshua discovered that they lived in the area, he said they would have to become servants of the Israelites, but he would keep his word and see that they were not destroyed. Later, others attacked the Gibeonites because they had made peace with Joshua. The Gibeonites called for help, and Joshua came with his army. God sent giant hailstones on the enemies and miraculously lengthened the day to give the Israelites time to defeat them. Saul once tried to kill the Gibeonites despite the treaty, but God punished Saul’s family as a result.