A frequent misinterpretation treats this verse as Joshua's own boastful summary of conquests or a neutral historical aside, detached from the narrative's context of Gibeonite deception, leading some to overlook the ruse's purpose in fabricating distance and instead view it as endorsing cunning diplomacy or to question the Bible's reliability by debating the kings' exact territories, while ignoring the broader lesson on discerning truth and consulting God before covenants as shown in verses 14 and the subsequent servitude imposed on the Gibeonites.
Joshua 9:10
King James Version (1769)
10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
In Joshua 9:10, the Gibeonites cleverly reference Joshua's decisive victories over Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan to convince the Israelite leaders of their distant origins and fear of Israel's God, illustrating how God's mighty acts through His people had spread renown and terror across Canaan, fulfilling prophecies like those in Exodus 23:27 and Deuteronomy 2:25 that promised preceding dread among the nations, which prompted the Gibeonites' deceptive strategy for self-preservation.