Joshua 9:1-9

1 It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Yarden, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Levanon, the Hittite, and the Amori, the Kana`ani, the Perizzi, the Hivvi, and the Yevusi, heard of it;

2 that they gathered themselves together, to fight with Yehoshua and with Yisra'el, with one accord.

3 But when the inhabitants of Giv`on heard what Yehoshua had done to Yericho and to `Ai,

4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wine-skins, old and torn and bound up,

5 and old and patched shoes on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become moldy.

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,

Joshua 9:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 9

This chapter gives an account of the combination of the several kings of Canaan against Israel, Jos 9:1,2; and of the craftiness of the Gibeonites, pretending they were ambassadors from a far country, and desired to enter into a league with Israel, which they obtained, Jos 9:3-15; but when it was discovered who they were, it occasioned a murmuring among the people, Jos 9:16-18; which the princes quelled by proposing to make them hewers of wood, and drawers of water, Jos 9:19-21; in order to which Joshua summoned them before him, and chided them for beguiling them; and after they had made their excuse, he ordered them to the service the princes proposed, and so peace in the congregation of Israel was preserved, Jos 9:21-27.