joshua-9:15-27

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:15

The princes of the congregation. Literally, the exalted ones, נְשִׂיאֵי of the congregation, "Die obersten der gemeine" (Luther); that is, the heads of the various tribes (see Numbers 1:44 ; and note on Joshua 7:14 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:15-23

The Gibeonites. The manner in which Joshua dealt with the Gibeonites shows how inflexible is the respect God requires for truth. That respect is exemplified in two ways in tiffs narrative. First, in the fulfilment of the oath made to the Gibeonites, that their lives should be saved; and second, in the punishment with which they are visited for their falsehood. They deceived Joshua by their miserable subterfuge of mouldy bread and way-worn garments, and thus passed themselves off as the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:17

On the third day. After the trick was discovered. Keil remarks that we need not suppose that the three days were consumed on the march. Not only did Joshua, when celerity was necessary, perform the journey in a single night, but the whole distance was not more than eighteen or twenty miles, if we accept the hypothesis of a second Gilgal. Now their cities were. Beeroth still exists, we are told, as el-Bireh (Robinson 2:132. So also Vaudcvelde and Conder). Jerome identified it with a place... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:18

And the children of Israel smote them not. There is great difference of opinion among the commentators as to whether this oath were binding off the Israelites or not. This difference is to be found among Roman Catholics as well as Protestants, and Cornelius a Lapide gives the ingenious and subtle arguments used on both sides by the Jesuit commentators. Many contend that as it was obtained by fraud, and especially by a representation that the Gibeonites did not belong to the tribes which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:18-19

An oath observed. Recapitulate the chief circumstances: The embassage from Gibeon. Described in Joshua 10:1-43 . as "a great city," and "all the men thereof mighty." Not because they were inferior to the other inhabitants of the land did they seek to make a compromise with Israel. The surprise of the Israelites on discovering the nearness of Gibeon. "Those old shoes had easily held to carry them back to their home." I. THE ANGER AND WISH OF THE PEOPLE arose from— 1 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:20

Lest wrath be upon us. The original is not quite so strong: "and wrath will not be upon us ( καὶ οὐκ ἔσται καθ ἡμῶν ὀργή , LXX ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:21

Said unto them, i.e; to the Israelites. But let them be. Rather, and they were, with Rosenmuller and Keil. See Keil in loc. for the force of the Vau conversive. The LXX . and Vulgate render as our version. Hewers of wood and drawers of water. Some amount of casuistry has been displayed upon this passage. But the fairness of the proceeding seems clear enough. The Gibeonites had escaped death by a fraud. For that fraud they deserved punishment. Their lives were spared by virtue of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:23

There shall none of you be freed from being bondmen . Literally, as margin, there shall not be cut off from you a servant, as in 2 Samuel 3:29 , and 1 Kings 2:4 . The sense is, "you shall not cease to be servants.'' The term "bondmen" is somewhat too strong. The עֶבֶד was usually a bondman among the Hebrews, but not always (see 1 Samuel 29:3 ; 1 Kings 11:26 , etc). But the Gibeonites were to be employed forever in servile work. Hewing of wood and drawing of water was a task... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:24

The Lord thy God Commanded (see Exodus 23:32 ; Deuteronomy 7:1 , Deuteronomy 7:2 ). The prophecies of Moses during their sojourn in "the plains of Jordan by Jericho" (see Numbers 22:1-41 . sqq). We were sore afraid. Prophesied in Exodus 15:14 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:26

That they slew them not. See Joshua 9:18 , which attributes the preservation of the Gibeonites to the action of the heads of tribes. Perhaps this should be rendered, and they slew them not. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:15-23

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:18-19

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:23

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Joshua 9:26

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