3 And when the inhabitants H3427 of Gibeon H1391 heard H8085 what Joshua H3091 had done H6213 unto Jericho H3405 and to Ai, H5857
4 They did work H6213 wilily, H6195 and went H3212 and made as if they had been ambassadors, H6737 and took H3947 old H1087 sacks H8242 upon their asses, H2543 and wine H3196 bottles, H4997 old, H1087 and rent, H1234 and bound up; H6887
5 And old H1087 shoes H5275 and clouted H2921 upon their feet, H7272 and old H1087 garments H8008 upon them; and all the bread H3899 of their provision H6718 was dry H3001 and mouldy. H5350
6 And they went H3212 to Joshua H3091 unto the camp H4264 at Gilgal, H1537 and said H559 unto him, and to the men H376 of Israel, H3478 We be come H935 from a far H7350 country: H776 now therefore make H3772 ye a league H1285 with us.
7 And the men H376 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto the Hivites, H2340 Peradventure H194 ye dwell H3427 among H7130 us; and how shall we make H3772 a league H1285 with you?
8 And they said H559 unto Joshua, H3091 We are thy servants. H5650 And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto them, Who are ye? and from whence H370 come H935 ye?
9 And they said H559 unto him, From a very H3966 far H7350 country H776 thy servants H5650 are come H935 because of the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 for we have heard H8085 the fame H8089 of him, and all that he did H6213 in Egypt, H4714
10 And all that he did H6213 to the two H8147 kings H4428 of the Amorites, H567 that were beyond H5676 Jordan, H3383 to Sihon H5511 king H4428 of Heshbon, H2809 and to Og H5747 king H4428 of Bashan, H1316 which was at Ashtaroth. H6252
11 Wherefore our elders H2205 and all the inhabitants H3427 of our country H776 spake H559 to us, saying, H559 Take H3947 victuals H6720 with you H3027 for the journey, H1870 and go H3212 to meet H7125 them, and say H559 unto them, We are your servants: H5650 therefore now make H3772 ye a league H1285 with us.
12 This our bread H3899 we took hot H2525 for our provision H6679 out of our houses H1004 on the day H3117 we came forth H3318 to go H3212 unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, H3001 and it is mouldy: H5350
13 And these bottles H4997 of wine, H3196 which we filled, H4390 were new; H2319 and, behold, they be rent: H1234 and these our garments H8008 and our shoes H5275 are become old H1086 by reason of the very H3966 long H7230 journey. H1870
14 And the men H582 took H3947 of their victuals, H6718 and asked H7592 not counsel at the mouth H6310 of the LORD. H3068
15 And Joshua H3091 made H6213 peace H7965 with them, and made H3772 a league H1285 with them, to let them live: H2421 and the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 sware H7650 unto them.
16 And it came to pass at the end H7097 of three H7969 days H3117 after H310 they had made H3772 a league H1285 with them, that they heard H8085 that they were their neighbours, H7138 and that they dwelt H3427 among H7130 them.
17 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed, H5265 and came H935 unto their cities H5892 on the third H7992 day. H3117 Now their cities H5892 were Gibeon, H1391 and Chephirah, H3716 and Beeroth, H881 and Kirjathjearim. H7157
18 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 smote H5221 them not, because the princes H5387 of the congregation H5712 had sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And all the congregation H5712 murmured H3885 against the princes. H5387
19 But all the princes H5387 said H559 unto all the congregation, H5712 We have sworn H7650 unto them by the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel: H3478 now therefore we may H3201 not touch H5060 them.
20 This we will do H6213 to them; we will even let them live, H2421 lest wrath H7110 be upon us, because of the oath H7621 which we sware H7650 unto them.
21 And the princes H5387 said H559 unto them, Let them live; H2421 but let them be hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 unto all the congregation; H5712 as the princes H5387 had promised H1696 them.
22 And Joshua H3091 called H7121 for them, and he spake H1696 unto them, saying, H559 Wherefore have ye beguiled H7411 us, saying, H559 We are very H3966 far H7350 from you; when ye dwell H3427 among H7130 us?
23 Now therefore ye are cursed, H779 and there shall none of you be freed H3772 from being bondmen, H5650 and hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 for the house H1004 of my God. H430
24 And they answered H6030 Joshua, H3091 and said, H559 Because it was certainly H5046 told H5046 thy servants, H5650 how that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 commanded H6680 his servant H5650 Moses H4872 to give H5414 you all the land, H776 and to destroy H8045 all the inhabitants H3427 of the land H776 from before H6440 you, therefore we were sore H3966 afraid H3372 of our lives H5315 because H6440 of you, and have done H6213 this thing. H1697
25 And now, behold, we H2009 are in thine hand: H3027 as it seemeth H5869 good H2896 and right H3477 unto thee to do H6213 unto us, do. H6213
26 And so did H6213 he unto them, and delivered H5337 them out of the hand H3027 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they slew H2026 them not.
27 And Joshua H3091 made H5414 them that day H3117 hewers H2404 of wood H6086 and drawers H7579 of water H4325 for the congregation, H5712 and for the altar H4196 of the LORD, H3068 even unto this day, H3117 in the place H4725 which he should choose. H977
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Joshua 9
Commentary on Joshua 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Jos 9:1-27. The Kings Combine against Israel.
1. all the kings which were on this side—that is, the western side of Jordan.
in the hills, and in ther valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea—This threefold distinction marks out very clearly a large portion of Canaan. The first designates the hill country, which belonged afterwards to the tribes of Judah and Ephraim: the second, all the low country from Carmel to Gaza; and the third, the shores of the Mediterranean, from the Isthmus of Tyre to the plain of Joppa. (As for the tribes mentioned, see on Nu 13:29).
heard thereof—that is, of the sacking of Jericho and Ai, as well as the rapid advance of the Israelites into the interior of the country.
2. they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord—Although divided by separate interests and often at war with each other, a sense of common danger prompted them to suspend their mutual animosities, that by their united forces they might prevent the land from falling into the hands of foreign masters.
Jos 9:3-15. The Gibeonites Obtain a League by Craft.
3-15. when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard—This town, as its name imports, was situated on a rocky eminence, about six miles northwest from Jerusalem, where the modern village of El Jib now stands. It was the capital of the Hivites, and a large important city (Jos 10:2). It seems to have formed, in union with a few other towns in the neighborhood, a free independent state (Jos 9:17) and to have enjoyed a republican government (Jos 9:11).
4. They did work wilily—They acted with dexterous policy, seeking the means of self-preservation, not by force, which they were convinced would be unavailing, but by artful diplomacy.
took old sacks upon their asses—Travellers in the East transport their luggage on beasts of burden; the poorer sort stow all their necessaries, food, clothes, utensils together, in a woollen or hair-cloth sack, laid across the shoulders of the beast they ride upon.
wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up—Goat-skins, which are better adapted for carrying liquor of any kind fresh and good, than either earthenware, which is porous, or metallic vessels, which are soon heated by the sun. These skin bottles are liable to be rent when old and much used; and there are various ways of mending them—by inserting a new piece of leather, or by gathering together the edges of the rent and sewing them in the form of a purse, or by putting a round flat splinter of wood into the hole.
5. old shoes and clouted—Those who have but one ass or mule for themselves and baggage frequently dismount and walk—a circumstance which may account for the worn shoes of the pretended travellers.
bread … dry and mouldy—This must have been that commonly used by travellers—a sort of biscuit made in the form of large rings, about an inch thick, and four or five inches in diameter. Not being so well baked as our biscuits, it becomes hard and mouldy from the moisture left in the dough. It is usually soaked in water previous to being used.
6-14. they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal—Arrived at the Israelitish headquarters, the strangers obtained an interview with Joshua and the elders, to whom they opened their business.
7. the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us—The answer of the Israelites implied that they had no discretion, that their orders were imperative, and that if the strangers belonged to any of the native tribes, the idea of an alliance with them was unlawful since God had forbidden it (Ex 23:32; 34:12; De 7:2).
9. From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God—They pretended to be actuated by religious motives in seeking to be allied with His people. But their studied address is worthy of notice in appealing to instances of God's miraculous doings at a distance, while they pass by those done in Canaan, as if the report of these had not yet reached their ears.
14, 15. the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord—The mouldy appearance of their bread was, after examination, accepted as guaranteeing the truth of the story. In this precipitate conclusion the Israelites were guilty of excessive credulity and culpable negligence, in not asking by the high priest's Urim and Thummim the mind of God, before entering into the alliance. It is not clear, however, that had they applied for divine direction they would have been forbidden to spare and connect themselves with any of the Canaanite tribes who renounced idolatry and embraced and worshipped the true God. At least, no fault was found with them for making a covenant with the Gibeonites; while, on the other hand, the violation of it was severely punished (2Sa 21:1; and Jos 11:19, 20).
16, 17. at the end of three days … they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them—This information was obtained in their further progress through the country; for as Jos 9:17 should be rendered, "when the children of Israel journeyed, they came to their cities." Gibeon was about eighteen or twenty miles from Gilgal.
17. Chephirah—(Jos 18:26; Ezr 2:25; Ne 7:29).
Beeroth—(2Sa 4:2), now El Berich, about twenty minutes' distance from El Jib (Gibeon).
Kirjath-jearim—"the city of forests," now Kuryet-el-Enab [Robinson].
18-27. the children of Israel smote them not—The moral character of the Gibeonites' stratagem was bad. The princes of the congregation did not vindicate either the expediency or the lawfulness of the connection they had formed; but they felt the solemn obligations of their oath; and, although the popular clamor was loud against them, caused either by disappointment at losing the spoils of Gibeon, or by displeasure at the apparent breach of the divine commandment, they determined to adhere to their pledge, "because they had sworn by the Lord God of Israel." The Israelitish princes acted conscientiously; they felt themselves bound by their solemn promise; but to prevent the disastrous consequences of their imprudent haste, they resolved to degrade the Gibeonites to a servile condition as a means of preventing their people from being ensnared into idolatry, and thus acted up, as they thought, to the true spirit and end of the law.
27. hewers of wood and drawers of water—The menials who performed the lowest offices and drudgery in the sanctuary; whence they were called Nethinims (1Ch 9:2; Ezr 2:43; 8:20); that is, given, appropriated. Their chastisement thus brought them into the possession of great religious privileges (Ps 84:10).