Great was the indignation of the Israelites as they learned the deception that had been practiced upon them. And this was heightened when, after three days' journey, they reached the cities of the Gibeonites, near the center of the land. "All the congregation murmured against the princes;" but the latter refused to break the treaty, though secured by fraud, because they had "sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel." "And the children of Israel smote them not." The Gibeonites had pledged themselves to renounce idolatry, and accept the worship of Jehovah; and the preservation of their lives was not a violation of God's command to destroy the idolatrous Canaanites. Hence the Hebrews had not by their oath pledged themselves to commit sin. And though the oath had been secured by deception, it was not to be disregarded. The obligation to which one's word is pledged--if it do not bind him to perform a wrong act--should be held sacred. No consideration of gain, of revenge, or of self-interest can in any way affect the inviolability of an oath or pledge. "Lying lips are abomination to the Lord." Proverbs 12:22. He that "shall ascend into the hill of the Lord," and "stand in His holy place," is "he that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not." Psalms 24:3; 15:4.

Israelitterne blev fyldt med harme, da de blev klar over, at de var blevet bedraget. Deres vrede blev endnu heftigere, da de efter tre dages rejse nåede gibeonitternes byer, der lå næsten midt i landet. "Da knurrede hele menigheden mod øversterne", men disse nægtede at bryde overenskomsten, selv om den var indgået ved bedrag, fordi de havde "tilsvoret dem fred ved Herren, Israels Gud". Derfor dræbte israelitterne dem ikke. Gibeonitterne havde forpligtet sig til at holde op med at dyrke afguder og lovet at tjene Israels Gud, og israelitterne handlede ikke i strid med Guds befaling om at udrydde de afgudsdyrkende kanaanæere ved at lade gibeonitterne leve. Hebræerne havde derfor ikke bundet sig ved en ed til at synde. Skønt eden var aflagt under falske forudsætninger, skulle den ikke brydes. Når man har aflagt et løfte, bør man tage det som en hellig pligt at holde det, hvis man ikke gør noget forkert derved. Hverken hensynet til vinding, hævn eller egne interesser bør rokke det mindste ved en eds eller et løftes ukrænkelighed. "Løgnelæber er Herren en gru." Ord. 12, 22. "Hvo kan gå op på Herrens bjerg, og hvo kan stå på hans hellige sted?" Det kan den, der "ej bryder ed, han svor til egen skade". Sl. 24, 3; 15, 4.