I’m in the book of Joshua in my daily Bible reading. In chapter 9, we read about the deception of Gibeon. This was a mighty city in Canaan, part of the strong defense against Israel’s advance. But the leaders of Gibeon saw the writing on the wall. Israel was moving through the land with the Lord’s power, and they knew they could not stand against them.
"But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly." (Joshua 9:3–5 ESV).
They disguised themselves as weary travelers from a distant land, hoping Israel would make peace with them. And it worked. Joshua and the elders examined their supplies and accepted their story. But then came the critical mistake:
"So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them." (Joshua 9:14–15 ESV).
That line hits hard, doesn’t it? They did not ask counsel from the LORD. How often do we make the same mistake—rushing into decisions with only human logic and sight, rather than pausing to seek God’s wisdom? How many painful consequences in our lives could have been avoided if we had first asked God before acting?
And yet, even in their failure, Joshua and the elders modeled something worth admiring. When they discovered the deception, they did not break their word. They kept their covenant, even though it hurt them.
Many of us would have felt justified in backing out. We might have rationalized: Based on new information… God surely wouldn’t hold us to a vow made in error. But Scripture paints a different picture.
The psalmist describes the blameless person as one "who swears to his own hurt and does not change" (Psalm 15:4 ESV). Numbers reminds us, "If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth." (Numbers 30:2 ESV). And Ecclesiastes warns us not to excuse ourselves from promises by claiming it was a mistake: "Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:6 ESV).
Joshua and the elders stood firm. Even when the people grumbled, they said:
"But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. But all the leaders said to all the congregation, ‘We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.’" (Joshua 9:18–19 ESV).
Yes, their vow was foolish, but their commitment to honor it shows us what godly integrity looks like. They refused to compound one mistake with another. They kept their word because they had sworn by the name of the Lord.
Centuries later, in 2 Samuel 21, we see that Israel was still bound by this same covenant with the Gibeonites. That’s how seriously God takes our word.
So here’s the challenge for us: Are we people whose word can be trusted? Do we keep our promises, even when it costs us, even when unforeseen consequences make it uncomfortable? Or do we excuse ourselves with “new information,” breaking our word whenever it no longer suits us?
God’s people are called to be people of truth. Our yes should be yes, and our no should be no (Matthew 5:37). When we keep our word—even to our own hurt—we reflect the faithfulness of the God who never breaks His promises.
Take a moment today to reflect: Are there vows, promises, or commitments in your life that you’ve been tempted to back away from? How would it honor God, and strengthen your witness, to keep your word even when it’s hard?
Let’s be a people whose words are as trustworthy as the God we serve.
I’d love to hear from you: Have you ever had to keep a promise that ended up costing you more than you expected? How did God meet you in that situation? Share your story in the comments—you never know how your experience might encourage someone else today.