Joshua 9:8

8 But they answered Y'hoshua, "We are your servants." Y'hoshua asked, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"

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 Then they went to Y'hoshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Isra'el, "We have come from a country far away. Now, make a covenant with us."

7 The men of Isra'el said to the Hivi, "How do we know that you don't live here among us? If you do, we don't want to make a covenant with you."

8 But they answered Y'hoshua, "We are your servants." Y'hoshua asked, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"

9 They answered him, "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the reputation of ADONAI your God. We have heard reports about him - everything he did in Egypt,

10 and everything he did to the two kings of the Emori across the Yarden, Sichon king of Heshbon and 'Og king of Bashan at 'Ashtarot.