Joshua 9:8

8 They said to Yehoshua, We are your servants. Yehoshua said to them, Who are you? and from whence come you?

Joshua 9:8 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:8

And they said unto Joshua, we [are] thy servants
Not that they meant to be subjects of his, and tributaries to him; but this they said in great humility and lowliness of mind, being willing to be or do anything he should enjoin them. Abarbinel observes, that this they proposed to Joshua singly, not to be servants to all the people, but to him only, and to have him for their head and governor:

and Joshua, said, who [are] ye? and from whence come ye?
by what name are ye called? and from what country do ye come? suspecting, as it should seem, that they were the inhabitants of Canaan; or however he was cautious and upon his guard, lest they should be such, and yet was not enough upon his guard to prevent imposition.

Joshua 9:8 In-Context

6 They went to Yehoshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Yisra'el, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us.

7 The men of Yisra'el said to the Hivvi, What if you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?

8 They said to Yehoshua, We are your servants. Yehoshua said to them, Who are you? and from whence come you?

9 They said to him, From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of the LORD your God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Mitzrayim,

10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amori, who were beyond the Yarden, to Sichon king of Heshbon, and to `Og king of Bashan, who was at `Ashtarot.