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
The confederacy of the kings of Canaan against Israel, ver. 1, 2. The confederacy of the Gibeonites with Israel, ver. 3-18. Their employment, ver. 19-27.
Verse 2. Together - They entered into a league to do this. Tho' they were
many kings of different nations, and doubtless of different
interests, often at variance with each other, yet they are all
determined to unite against Israel. O that Israel would learn this of
Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public good, and to
lay aside all animosities among themselves, that they may
cordially unite against the common enemy.
Verse 3. Gibeon - A great and royal city of the Hivites.
Verse 4. Been ambassadors - Sent from a far country.
Verse 6. The camp at Gilgal - The place of their head-quarters. Men of
Israel - To those who used to meet in council with Joshua, to
whom it belonged to make leagues, even the princes of the
congregation. Now therefore - Because we are not of this people,
whom, as we are informed, you are obliged utterly to destroy.
Verse 7. The Hivites - That is, the Gibeonites who were Hivites, chap.
xi, 19. Among us - That is, in this land, and so are of that people
with whom we are forbidden to make any league or covenant.
Verse 8. Thy servants - We desire a league with you upon your own
terms; we are ready to accept of any conditions. From whence
came ye - For this free and general concession gave Joshua cause
to suspect that they were Canaanites.
Verse 9. Name of the Lord - Being moved thereunto by the report of his
great and glorious nature and works; so they gave them hopes that
they would embrace their religion. In Egypt - They cunningly
mention those things only which were done some time ago, and
say nothing of dividing Jordan, or the destruction of Jericho and
Ai, as if they lived so far off that the fame of those things had not
yet reached them.
Verse 13. The bottles - Leathern bottles.
Verse 14. The men - That is, the princes. Their victuals - That they
might examine the truth of what they said. The mouth of the Lord
- As they ought to have done upon all such weighty occasions. So
they are accused of rashness and neglect of their duty. For though
it is probable, if God had been consulted, he would have
consented to the sparing of the Gibeonites; yet it should have been
done with more caution, and an obligation upon them to embrace
the true religion. In every business of importance, we should stay
to take God along with us, and by the word and prayer consult
him. Many a time our affairs miscarry, because we asked not
counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Did we acknowledge him in all
our ways, they would be more safe, easy and successful.
Verse 15. To let them live - That is, they should not destroy them. That
this league was lawful and obliging, appears,
1. Because Joshua and all the princes, upon the review concluded
it so to be, and spared them accordingly.
2. Because God punished the violation of it long after, 2 Sam. xxi, 1.
3. Because God is said to have hardened the hearts of all other
cities, not to seek peace with Israel, that so he might utterly
destroy them, chap. xi, 19, 20, which seems to imply that their
utter destruction did not necessarily come upon them by virtue of
any peremptory command of God, but by their own obstinate
hardness, whereby they refused to make peace with the Israelites.
Verse 16. Three days - That is, at the last of them, or upon the third day,
as it is said, ver. 17.
Verse 17. And Kirjath-jearim - Which cities were subject to Gibeon, the
royal city, chap. x, 2.
Verse 18. Against the princes - Both from that proneness which is in
people to censure the actions of their rulers; and from their desire
of the spoil of these cities.
Verse 21. Unto all the congregation - That is, Let them be public
servants, and employed in the meanest offices, (one kind being
put for all the rest) for the use of the congregation; to do this
partly for the sacrifices and services of the house of God, which
otherwise the Israelites themselves must have done; partly for the
service of the camp or body of the people; and sometimes, even to
particular Israelites.
Verse 22. Called for them - Probably not only the messengers, but the
elders of Gibeon were now present.
Verse 23. Ye are cursed - You shall not escape the curse of God which
by divine sentence belongs to all the Canaanites; but only change
the quality of it, you shall feel that curse of bondage, which is
proper to your race by virtue of that ancient decree, Gen. ix, 25.
Bond-men - The slavery, which is upon you shall be entailed on
your posterity. The house of my God - This only service they
mention here, because it was their durable servitude, being first in
the tabernacle, and then in the temple, whence they were called
Nethinim, 1 Chron. ix, 2 Ezra ii, 43, whereas their servitude to the
whole congregation in a great measure ceased when the Israelites
were dispersed to their several habitations.
Verse 25. In thine hand - That is, in thy power to use us as thou wilt.
Unto thee - We refer ourselves to thee and thy own piety, and
probity, and faithfulness to thy word and oath; if thou wilt destroy
thy humble suppliants, we submit. Let us in like manner submit to
our Lord Jesus, and refer ourselves to him; saying, We are in thy
hand; do unto us as seemeth right unto thee. Only save our souls:
give us our lives for a prey; and let us serve thee, just as thou wilt!
Verse 27. The altar of the Lord - By which appears, that they were not
only to do this service in God's house, but upon all other
occasions, as the congregation needed their help.
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
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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