Joshua 9
DOYLYJoshua 9:4
4.—made as if they had been ambassadors.] They pretended they were sent on an embassy from some distant country. Bp. Patrick.
—wine bottles, old, and rent.] The Arabs, and all those who lead a wandering life, still keep their water, milk, and other liquors, in leathern bottles, which are generally made of goats’ skins. The liquors thus keep more fresh than they would otherwise do. These nations never go a journey without a small leathern bottle of water hanging by their side like a scrip. When these bottles are old and much used, they mend them either by sewing in a piece, or by gathering up the broken place in the manner of a purse. Sir J. Chardin.
Joshua 9:5
5.—old shoes and clouted] Shoes which had the appearance of being worn out by long travel, and were patched up. Bp. Patrick.
Joshua 9:7
7.—Peradventure &c.] Their first question is, whether they were not of the country of Canaan, and belonged not to any of those idolatrous princes, who had
Before CHRIST 1451. The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league. Before CHRIST 1451. among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
Joshua 9:9
- — From a very far country, &c.] The Gibeonites, cunningly framing their answer, avoid making mention of any particular country from which they come, and pretend religion for the cause of their journey, which they knew would ensure them a favourable hearing: in reciting too the wonders which the God of Israel had wrought for His people, ver. 10, they prudently conceal their knowledge of the taking of Jericho and Ai, because they would have it supposed that the tidings of these events could not have reached their distant country. Dr. Wells, Bp. Patrick.
Joshua 9:14
- And the men took of their victuals.] That is, they ate with them, probably in token of friendship and by way of covenant. Locke.
— asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.] In this consisted the fault of the Israelites on this occasion, that they depended on their own judgment, and did not consult the Divine oracle, which was at hand. It is no wonder that God should suffer them to be deluded by the Gibeonites, when they had an infallible Director so near to them, and yet, in a matter of such moment, as
Joshua 9:15
- And Joshua made peace with them.] By concluding this treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites unadvisedly brought themselves into a great strait: they had been commanded to take away from the people of Canaan both their “place and nation,” and to divide their lands and cities among their own tribes. Now they bound themselves to stop the war when they came to the cities of the Gibeonites; they thus disarmed themselves, and were not at liberty to smite or destroy this people, because of the oath they had sworn; and yet they could not perform what they had sworn without a manifest neglect and violation of what God had in the strictest manner required. Shuckford.
Joshua 9:17
- And the children of Israel journeyed.] A party of the Israelites journeyed, being sent to understand the truth. Bp. Patrick.
— Gibeon, &c.] Gibeon was the capital city on which the three others were dependent.
Joshua 9:21
- — unto all the congregation.] They were not to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for every private person, but for the benefit of the whole congregation; see ver. 23; for the service of God at the tabernacle, for which they were bound to find wood and water. Bp. Patrick. See note at 1 Chron. ix. 2.
Before CHRIST 1451. a Ver. 15. Five kings war against Gibeon. Joshua rescueth it. + Heb. not be cut off from pen. ing, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Joshua 9:23
- — cursed.] Though they escaped the common doom of being cut off with the rest of the Canaanites, yet there was a curse still reserved for them: namely, a certain degree of servitude to be entailed on them and their posterity. Pyle. They were subjected to certain personal servitude: whereas, had they but acted sincerely, they might have been received upon the footing of simple tributaries. Grotius.
Joshua 9:27
- — in the place which he should choose.] In the place which the Lord should choose for His tabernacle; (Dr. Wells;) which was now at Gilgal, afterwards at Shiloh, &c. Bp. Patrick.
Chap. X. ver. 1. — king of Jerusalem] It is thought that this city retained the name of Salem, which it had in the days of Abraham, till the Israelites came into the land of Canaan; and that it was called Jerusalem by
and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;