Joshua 9:8-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 9:3-14

Here, I. The Gibeonites desire to make peace with Israel, being alarmed by the tidings they heard of the destruction of Jericho, Josh. 9:3. Other people heard those tidings, and were irritated thereby to make war upon Israel; but the Gibeonites heard them and were induced to make peace with them. Thus the discovery of the glory and grace of God in the gospel is to some a savour of life unto life, but to others a savour of death unto death, 2 Cor. 2:16. The same sun softens wax and hardens... read more

John Gill

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 questions, from such an authority, they felt themselves obliged to give an explicit answer; and they do it very artfully by a mixture of truth, falsehood, and hypocrisy. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 - This was true: the wonders which God did in Egypt, and the discomfiture of Sihon and Og, had reached the whole land of Canaan, and it was on this account that the inhabitants of it were... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:11

Wherefore our elders , etc. - All this, and what follows to the end of 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. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:1-27

God's people off their guard. This chapter contains the record of a venial sin; an act, that is, which was rather one of thoughtlessness than of deliberate intention to offend. It is one thing to forget for a moment God's superintending providence, and to act without consulting Him. It is quite another to act systematically as if there were no God. Thus we read of no very serious results flowing from this inadvertence. God is "not extreme to mark what is done amiss," and distinguishes... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:3-27

The submission of the Gibeonites. According to the explicit law of Moses (in Deuteronomy 20:10-18 ), there were three courses which Israel might pursue towards the cities they besieged: 1 . In the event of a city refusing to capitulate, they were, after taking it, to destroy all the males who survived, but take the women and the little ones and the spoil, and divide the same. This first course, however, was only to be pursued to such cities as were outside the boundaries of the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Joshua 9:3-14

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:8

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Joshua 9:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:1-27

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:3-27

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