INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 9 This chapter gives an account of the combination of the several kings of Canaan against Israel, Joshua 9:1; and of the craftiness of the Gibeonites, pretending they were ambassadors from a far country, and desired to enter into a league with Israel, which they obtained, Jos... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN ALL THE KINGS WHICH [WERE] ON THIS SIDE JORDAN,.... On the side Israel now were, and was that in which the land of Canaan lay, and was now governed by many kings, and all that were now remaining, even all but the kings of Jericho and Ai, who were slain: both those IN THE H... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER TO FIGHT WITH JOSHUA, AND WITH ISRAEL,.... Not at this time, but they met together to consult what was proper to be done in order to secure themselves, and their people, and put a stop to the successes of the arms of Israel; and for this purpose entered into a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE INHABITANTS OF GIBEON,.... A large and royal city, a metropolitan one, which had three others belonging to it, and under it, mentioned Joshua 9:17; see Joshua 10:2; no mention is made of any king over them, perhaps they were governed by elders, Joshua 9:11. Though an Arabic writer h say... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY DID WORK WILILY,.... Acted craftily, dealt in much cunning and subtlety; our version leaves out a very emphatic word, "also"; they also, as well as other nations, acted a cunning part, but in a different way; they did not enter into consultations and alliances with others, how to defend the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OLD SHOES AND CLOUTED UPON THEIR FEET,.... Which being worn out, were patched with various pieces of leather: AND OLD GARMENTS UPON THEM; full of holes and rents, ragged and patched: AND THE BREAD OF THEIR PROVISION WAS DRY [AND] MOULDY; having been kept a long time, and unfit for use; or like... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY WENT TO JOSHUA, UNTO THE CAMP AT GILGAL,.... From whence it appears, that after Jericho and Ai were destroyed, the army of Israel returned to their encampment at Gilgal, Joshua 5:10; and here they were when the Gibeonites applied to them: AND SAID UNTO HIM, AND TO THE MEN OF ISRAEL; not to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAID UNTO THE HIVITES,.... Though they did not know them to be such, but as they afterwards appeared to be the Hivites, as the Gibeonites were, they are here so called, see Joshua 11:19. The name signifies "serpents"; according to a Derash, or mystical exposition, mentioned by... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO JOSHUA, WE [ARE] THY SERVANTS,.... Not that they meant to be subjects of his, and tributaries to him; but this they said in great humility and lowliness of mind, being willing to be or do anything he should enjoin them. Abarbinel observes, that this they proposed to Joshua singly,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, FROM A VERY FAR COUNTRY THY SERVANTS ARE COME,.... Which they magnified and expressed in stronger terms than before, but were careful not to mention any country, lest such questions should be asked about it, their answers to which would betray them, but put it off by saying t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THAT HE DID TO THE TWO KINGS OF THE AMORITES, THAT [WERE] BEYOND JORDAN,.... On the other side of Jordan from Gilgal: TO SIHON KING OF HESHBON, AND TO OG KING OF BASHAN IN ASHTAROTH; the history of which see in Numbers 21:21; they wisely took no notice of the miracle of dividing the waters... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE OUR ELDERS, AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF OUR COUNTRY, SPAKE UNTO US,.... They suggest, that their senate, or the states of their country, their principal men were convened, and that it was the unanimous voice of them, and of the people, that they should go on this embassy: SAYING, TAKE VIC... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS OUR BREAD WE TOOK HOT [FOR] OUR PROVISION OUT OF OUR HOUSES,.... These are not the words of the elders to the messengers they sent, continued, but of the ambassadors to the Israelites, pointing to the bread they brought with them, which they pretended was newly baked and took hot out of the ove... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THESE BOTTLES OF WINE, WHICH WE FILLED, [WERE] NEW,.... That is, on the day they came out on their journey: AND, BEHOLD, THEY BE RENT; which were owing to the long use that had been made of them, as they pretended: AND THESE OUR GARMENTS, AND OUR SHOES, ARE BECOME OLD BY REASON OF THE VERY LON... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN TOOK OF THEIR VICTUALS,.... That is, the princes of Israel took thereof; not to eat of them, for it cannot be thought that such personages would eat of such dry and mouldy bread, and especially as they were now in a plentiful country, and possessed of the fruits of it; but to see whether... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA MADE PEACE WITH THEM,.... Upon the report the princes made of having examined what they had said, and which they found to be true, particularly concerning their victuals: AND MADE A LEAGUE WITH THEM, TO LET THEM LIVE; and not destroy them as he did the Canaanites, and was ordered to do;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE END OF THREE DAYS, AFTER THEY HAD MADE A LEAGUE WITH THEM,.... The league seems to have been made the same day they came; the Gibeonites were no doubt in haste to have it concluded, lest they should be discovered; and Joshua, and the princes of Israel, took no pains, and g... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL JOURNEYED,.... Not the whole camp, for that still remained at Gilgal, and continued there until the Gibeonites in distress sent to them for assistance in virtue of the league, as appears from the following chapter; but a party of them, who were sent along with some of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SMOTE THEM NOT,.... The inhabitants of the four cities, when they came to them, though they found it to be a true report that was brought them of their being neighbours, and that they were imposed upon by them: BECAUSE THE PRINCES OF THE CONGREGATION HAD SWORN UNTO THEM B... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL THE PRINCES SAID TO ALL THE CONGREGATION,.... That is, all the princes that went to Gibeon addressed all the Israelites that were there: WE HAVE SWORN UNTO THEM BY THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL; by the Word of the Lord God, as the Targum; an oath is a solemn sacred thing, and not to be broken, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS WE WILL DO TO THEM,.... Either this favour we will show them, preserving their lives, next mentioned, or this punishment we will inflict on them, making them hewers of wood, and drawers of water; which though not mentioned directly, was what was upon their minds, and in their design to propose,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRINCES SAID TO THEM, LET THEM LIVE,.... They were very pressing upon them, and importunate with them, to save their lives, because of the oath they had taken: (BUT LET THEM BE HEWERS OF WOOD, AND DRAWERS OF WATER, UNTO ALL THE CONGREGATION): which was a very low and mean employment, Deuter... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA CALLED FOR THEM,.... The Gibeonites, who came as ambassadors for their people, who were detained at Gilgal until the children of Israel returned from Gibeon; and upon their return, and having made their report to Joshua that they found it to be true that they were near neighbours, Joshua... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE YE [ARE] CURSED,.... Appear to be the posterity of cursed Canaan, and, notwithstanding the artifice used, should not be exempted from the curse denounced on Canaan: "a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren", Genesis 9:25; as these Gibeonites were; they became the servants o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY ANSWERED JOSHUA, AND SAID, BECAUSE IT WAS CERTAINLY TOLD THY SERVANTS,.... Or "it was told", told t; not only certainly, told, but frequently told them, they had often heard of it by one means or another: HOW THAT THE LORD THY GOD COMMANDED HIS SERVANT MOSES TO GIVE YOU ALL THE LAND; all t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, BEHOLD, WE [ARE] IN THINE HAND,.... In thy power, and at thy disposal, and are ready to submit to whatsoever may be enjoined us: AS IT SEEMETH GOOD AND RIGHT UNTO THEE TO DO UNTO US, DO; do what is consistent with the laws of kindness, and with the rules of justice, and particularly with t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SO DID HE UNTO THEM,.... What was good and right, he showed them favour, and did them justice: AND DELIVERED THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THAT THEY SLEW THEM NOT; who were so incensed against them for imposing on them in the manner they did, that they were ready many of them... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JOSHUA MADE THEM THAT DAY,.... Constituted and appointed them, ordered and settled them, in the post and office after mentioned; or "gave" them u; hence some think they had the name Nethinim, persons given to the Levites for the service of the sanctuary: namely, to be HEWERS OF WOOD AND DRAWERS... [ Continue Reading ]