The key verse in the story of the Gibeonite deception is 9:14. The Gibeonites presented evidence of their long journey; the moldy bread and the leaky water bags. Joshua and his key leaders evaluated the evidence, sampled the provisions, and believed the lie. Verse 14 explains it:
The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.
I’m afraid I often lean on my own understanding and make decisions based on the appearance of things around me without taking it to the Lord in Prayer.
I once heard good advice that if I was ever faced with a quick decision in which I didn’t have time to take it to the Lord, the answer should be no! Things are not always the way they seem!