Faced with a looming threat, the Canaanite nations abandon their internal conflicts to form a united military front. Rather than fighting the approaching Israelite army as isolated city-states, the kings choose a strategy of broad unification. This alliance is not merely a physical gathering of soldiers to create a vast army. It is also an assembly of advisors coming together to strategize and outsmart their opponents [מצודת דוד]. The kings reach an absolute consensus, operating as a single, cohesive faction with one shared plan [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
However, this military preparation is rooted in a fundamental misconception and political cunning. The Canaanite kings view the approaching conflict as a purely earthly struggle against flesh and blood, completely ignoring God's active involvement, which had already been clearly displayed during the miraculous conquest of Jericho [אלשיך]. In reality, their united front is a calculated act of psychological warfare. Following the miraculous splitting of the Jordan River, the kings are consumed by massive fear. When Joshua sends them letters offering the choice to make peace, leave, or fight, the Girgashite nation chooses to depart. The remaining six nations, however, unite to declare war. This declaration does not stem from genuine bravery. Instead, it is a deceptive tactic designed to mask their deep terror and project a false sense of courage, hoping to strike fear into the hearts of Joshua and the Israelites [אלשיך].
The description of this royal alliance is presented at this specific moment to serve as a stark contrast to the actions of the people of Gibeon, which follow immediately after [רד״ק]. While the Canaanite kings attempt to save themselves through a deceptive display of false strength, the Gibeonites fully internalize God's power. They choose to survive using a completely different type of cunning, disguising themselves as a nation from a distant land to secure a peace treaty. By choosing to make peace with the Israelites, the Gibeonites shatter the fragile, artificial consensus of the other kings, an act that eventually provokes an attack against them by the king of Jerusalem and his allies [אלשיך].