Joshua 9:1-15 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:8

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, not to be servants to all the people, but to him only, and to have him for their head and governor: and Joshua, said, who are ye? and from whence come ye ? by what name are ye called? and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:9

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 they were come: because of the name of the Lord thy God ; because of what they had heard of his name, his power and goodness; or "unto the name of the Lord thy God" F15 לשם יהוה "ad... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:10

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 of Jordan, to make a passage for the Israelites; nor of the destruction of Jericho and Ai, which were recent things, and could not be thought as yet to have reached a far country they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:11

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 victuals with you for the journey ; sufficient for so long a journey; for, in those times and countries, inns on the road were not frequent as now: and go to meet them ; to prevent their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:12

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 oven: on the day we came forth to go unto you, but now, behold, it is dry , and it is mouldy : See Gill on Joshua 9:5 ; which they gave as a demonstration and proof that they were come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:13

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 long journey : quite worn out through length of time and tedious travels. Isidore of Pelusium F17 L. 1. Ep. 281. thinks these Gibeonites were Cappadocians, of whom he gives a shocking... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:14

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 it was in such a plight and condition as they said, whereby they might judge of the truth of what they said; and they learned and knew, as R. Jonah observes, from the dryness of their food, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:15

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; they being supposed not to belong to them by the representation of things they had made: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them ; that they would keep the league and covenant... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:1

And it came to pass , when all the kings - heard thereof - From this account it appears that the capture and destruction of Jericho and Ai had been heard of to the remotest parts of the land, that a general fear of the Israelitish arms prevailed, and that the different dynasties or petty governments into which the land was divided, felt all their interests at stake, and determined to make the defense of their country a common cause. This was the most prudent step they could... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 . See the note on Joshua 10:2 . read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:3

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