They asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord

“And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.” - Joshua 9v14

After the battle of Ai word got around about the other conquests by the Israelites. There were already stories about the great victories on the other side of the Jordan, and now Jericho and Ai were added to the list of victory stories.

The Gibeonites devised a master plan to save themselves. They put on old clothes and shoes, packed old food and wine, and approached Joshua as though they had been travelling a long distance. When they came they asked to food and supplies.

Dealing with this kind of request is always difficult. Here the leaders of Israel make a serious error. They made a decision without first asking counsel of the Lord. They acted on their own without asking God what to do. This was to have long lasting affects and the Gibeonites were to be a thorn in their sides for years to come.
What is our lesson for today? Simple enough - seek God’s face before we act. Go to Him in prayer and seek His leadership and counsel before we act. We can spare ourselves great difficulties if we will “ask counsel at the mouth of the Lord