Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
Joshua 9
Concise Complete
The kings combine against Israel. (1,2) The Gibeonites
apply for peace. (3-13) They obtain peace, but are soon detected. (14-21) The
Gibeonites are to be bondmen. (22-27)
Verses 1-2 Hitherto
the Canaanites had defended themselves, but here they consult to attack Israel.
Their minds were blinded, and their hearts hardened to their destruction. Though
often at enmity with each other, yet they united against Israel. Oh that Israel
would learn of Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public welfare,
and to lay aside all quarrels among themselves, that they may unite against the
enemies of God's kingdom!
Verses 3-13 Other
people heard these tidings, and were driven thereby to make war upon Israel; but
the Gibeonites were led to make peace with them. Thus the discovery of the glory
and the grace of God in the gospel, is to some a savour of life unto life, but
2 corinthians softens wax and hardens clay. The falsehood of the Gibeonites cannot be
justified. We must not do evil that good may themselves to the God of Israel, we
have reason to think Joshua would have been directed by the oracle of God to
spare their lives. But when they had once said, "We are come from a far
country," they were led to say it made of skins, and their clothes: one lie
brings on another, and that a third, and so on. The way of that sin is
especially down-hill. Yet their faith and prudence are to be commended. In
submitting to Israel they submitted to the God of Israel, which implied
forsaking their idolatries. And how can we do better than cast ourselves upon
the mercy of a God of all goodness? The way to avoid judgment is to meet it by
repentance. Let us do like these Gibeonites, seek peace with God in the rags of
abasement, and godly sorrow; so our sin shall not be our ruin. Let us be
servants to Jesus, our blessed Joshua, and we shall live.
Verses 14-21 The
Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites, hastily concluded
that they confirmed their account. We make more haste than good speed, when we
stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer. The
fraud was soon found out. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been
in itself unlawful, it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render
it our duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanites who
submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives might be spared. A
citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and changes not,
psalms 15:4. Joshua and
the princes, when they found that they had been deceived, did not apply to
Eleazar the high priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they
pretend that no faith is to be kept with those to whom they had sworn. Let this
convince us how we ought to keep our promises, and make good our bargains; and
what conscience we ought to make of our words.
Verses 22-27 The
Gibeonites do not justify their lie, but plead that they did it to save their
lives. And the fear was not merely of the power of man; one might flee from that
to the Divine protection; but of the power of God himself, which they saw
engaged against them. Joshua sentences them to perpetual bondage. They must be
servants, but any work becomes honourable, when it is done for the house of the
Lord, and the offices thereof. Let us, in like manner, submit to our Lord Jesus,
saying, We are in thy hand, do unto us as seemeth good and right unto thee, only
save our souls; and we shall not repent it. If He appoints us to bear his cross,
and serve him, that shall be neither shame nor grief to us, while the meanest
office in God's service will entitle us to a dwelling in the house of the Lord
all the days of our life. And in coming to the Saviour, we do not proceed upon a
peradventure. We are invited to draw nigh, and are assured that him that cometh
to Him, he will in nowise cast out. Even those things which sound harsh, and are
humbling, and form sharp trials of our sincerity, will prove of real advantage.
Chapter 9:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Deuteronomy Judges
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
