CHAPTER IX _All the kings of the_ Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, _and_ Jebusites, _unite them forces against Joshua_, 1, 2. _The inhabitants of_ Gibeon, _hearing what Joshua had done to Ai,_ _sent ambassadors to him, feigning themselves to come from a_ _very distant tribe,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:3. _THE INHABITANTS OF GIBEON HEARD_] These alone did not join the confederation. Gibeon is supposed to have been the capital of the _Hivites_. In the division of the land it fell to the lot of Benjamin, Joshua 18:25, and was afterwards given to the priests, Joshua 21:17. Joshua 10:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:4. _THEY DID WORK WILILY_] Finesse of this kind is allowed by the conduct of all nations; and _stratagems_ in war are all considered as legal. Nine tenths of the victories gained are attributable to _stratagem_; all sides practise them, and therefore none can condemn them. Much time... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:5. _OLD SHOES AND CLOUTED_] Their sandals, they pretended had been worn out by long and difficult travelling, and they had been obliged to have them frequently _patched_ during the way; their garments also were worn _thin_; and what remained of their bread was _mouldy_-spotted with ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:6. _MAKE YE A LEAGUE WITH US._] כרתו לנו ברית _kirethu lanu_ _berith, cut_, or _divide, the covenant sacrifice with us_. From this it appears that heathenism at this time had its sacrifices, and covenants were ratified by sacrificing to and invoking the objects of their adoration.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:7. _PERADVENTURE YE DWELL AMONG US_] It is strange they should have had such a suspicion, as the Gibeonites had acted so artfully; and it is as strange that, having such a suspicion, they acted with so little caution.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:8. _WE_ ARE _THY SERVANTS._] This appears to have been the only answer they gave to the question of the Israelitish elders, and this they gave to _Joshua_, not to _them_, as they saw that Joshua was commander-in-chief of the host. _WHO_ ARE _YE? AND FROM WHENCE COME YE?_] To these qu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:9. _BECAUSE OF THE NAME OF THE LORD THY GOD_] They pretend that they had undertaken this journey on a religious account; and seem to intimate that they had the highest respect for Jehovah, the object of the Israelites' worship; this was _hypocrisy_. _WE HAVE HEARD THE FAME OF HIM_] T... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:11. _WHEREFORE OUR ELDERS, C._] All this, and what follows to the end of verse Joshua 9:13, was _false_, contrived merely for the purpose of deceiving the Israelites, and this they did to save their own lives as they expected all the inhabitants of Canaan to be put to the sword.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:14. _THE MEN TOOK OF THEIR VICTUALS_] This was done in all probability in the way of _friendship_; for, from time immemorial to the present day, _eating together_, in the Asiatic countries, is considered a token of unalterable friendship; and those who eat even _salt_ together, feel t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:15. _JOSHUA MADE PEACE WITH THEM_] Joshua agreed to receive them into a friendly connection with the Israelites, and to respect their lives and properties; and the elders of Israel bound themselves to the observance of it, and confirmed it with an _oath_. As the same words are used he... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:16. _AT THE END OF THREE DAYS_] _Gibeon_ is reputed to be only about eight leagues distant from Gilgal, and on this account the fraud might be easily discovered in the time mentioned above.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:17. _THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL - CAME UNTO THEIR CITIES_] Probably when the fraud was discovered, Joshua sent out a detachment to examine their country, and to see what use could be made of it in the prosecution of their war with the Canaanites. Some of the cities mentioned here were aft... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:18. _ALL THE CONGREGATION MURMURED_] Merely because they were deprived of the _spoils_ of the Gibeonites. They had now got under the full influence of a predatory spirit; God saw their proneness to this, and therefore, at particular times, totally interdicted the spoils of conquered c... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:19. _WE HAVE SWORN UNTO THEM_] Although the Israelites were _deceived_ in this business, and the covenant was made on a certain supposition which was afterwards proved to have had no foundation in truth, and consequently the whole engagement on the part of the _deceived_ was hereby v... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:21. _HEWERS OF WOOD AND DRAWERS OF WATER_] Perhaps this is a sort of proverbial expression, signifying the lowest state of servitude, though it may also be understood literally. See below.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:23. _NOW THEREFORE YE ARE CURSED_] Does not this refer to what was pronounced by Noah, Genesis 9:26, against Ham and his posterity? Did not the curse of Ham imply _slavery_, and nothing else? _Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be_; and does it not sufficiently appear t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:24. _WE WERE SORE AFRAID OF OUR LIVES_] Self-preservation, which is the most powerful law of nature, dictated to them those measures which they adopted; and they plead this as the _motive_ of their conduct.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:25. _WE_ ARE _IN THINE HAND_] Entirely in thy power. _AS IT SEEMETH GOOD AND RIGHT UNTO THEE - DO._] Whatever _justice_ and _mercy_ dictate to thee to do to us, that perform. They expect _justice_, because they _deceived_ the Israelites; but they expect _mercy_ also, because they wer... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Joshua 9:26. _AND SO DID HE UNTO THEM_] That is, he acted according to _justice_ and _mercy_: he delivered them out of the hands of the people, so that they slew them not - here was _mercy_; and he made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and to the altar of God - he... [ Continue Reading ]