I would need a reference to any account involving intentional deception ... by the leadership of Israel.--OldSoul.
Here ya go. An example of waging "Theocratic Warfare" that involved intentional deception by the leadership of Israel:
12 And once again the sons of Israel went doing what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes. At that Jehovah let Eg´lon the king of Mo´ab grow strong against Israel, because they did what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes. 13 Furthermore, he gathered against them the sons of Am´mon and Am´a·lek. Then they went and struck Israel and took possession of the city of palm trees. 14 And the sons of Israel continued to serve Eg´lon the king of Mo´ab eighteen years. 15 And the sons of Israel began to call to Jehovah for aid. So Jehovah raised up for them a savior, E´hud the son of Ge´ra, a Ben´ja·mite, a left-handed man. In time the sons of Israel sent tribute by his hand to Eg´lon the king of Mo´ab. 16 Meanwhile E´hud made a sword for himself, and it had two edges, its length being a cubit. Then he girded it underneath his garment upon his right thigh. 17 And he proceeded to present the tribute to Eg´lon the king of Mo´ab. Now Eg´lon was a very fat man.
18 And it came about that when he had finished presenting the tribute, he at once sent the people away, the bearers of the tribute. 19 And he himself turned back at the quarries that were at Gil´gal, and he proceeded to say: “I have a secret word for you, O king.” So he said: “Keep silence!” With that all those who were standing by him went on out from him. 20 And E´hud came to him as he was sitting in his cool roof chamber that he had to himself. And E´hud went on to say: “A word of God I have for you.” At that he rose up from his throne. 21Then E´hud thrust in his left hand and took the sword off his right thigh and plunged it into his belly. 2 2 And the handle kept going in also after the blade so that the fat closed in over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly, and the fecal matter began to come out. 23 And E´hud proceeded to go out through the air hole, but he closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them. 24 And he himself went out.
And his servants came and began looking, and there the doors of the roof chamber were locked. So they said: “He is just easing nature in the cool interior room.” 25 And they kept waiting until they were ashamed, and, look! there was no one opening the doors of the roof chamber. At this they took the key and opened them, and, look! their lord was fallen to the earth dead!
26 As for E´hud, he escaped while they were lingering, and he himself passed by the quarries and made his escape to Se·i´rah. 27 And it came about that when he got there he began blowing the horn in the mountainous region of E´phra·im; and the sons of Israel began going down with him out of the mountainous region, he being at their head. 28 Then he said to them: “Follow me, because Jehovah has given YOUR enemies, the Mo´ab·ites, into YOUR hand.” And they went following him and got to capture the fords of the Jordan against the Mo´ab·ites, and they did not allow anybody to pass over. 29 And at that time they went striking down Mo´ab, about ten thousand men, every one robust and every one a valiant man; and not a single one escaped. 30 And Mo´ab came to be subdued on that day under Israel’s hand; and the land had no further disturbance for eighty years. --Judges 3:12-30.
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