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).
Joshua 9 Bible Commentary
Jamieson, Faussett, and Brown
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).