Joshua 9:8

8 at illi ad Iosue servi inquiunt tui sumus quibus Iosue quinam ait estis et unde venistis

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 perrexeruntque ad Iosue qui tunc morabatur in castris Galgalae et dixerunt ei atque omni simul Israheli de terra longinqua venimus pacem vobiscum facere cupientes responderuntque viri Israhel ad eos atque dixerunt

7 ne forsitan in terra quae nobis sorte debetur habitetis et non possimus foedus inire vobiscum

8 at illi ad Iosue servi inquiunt tui sumus quibus Iosue quinam ait estis et unde venistis

9 responderunt de terra longinqua valde venerunt servi tui in nomine Domini Dei tui audivimus enim famam potentiae eius cuncta quae fecit in Aegypto

10 et duobus Amorreorum regibus trans Iordanem Seon regi Esebon et Og regi Basan qui erat in Astharoth