Joshua 9:7

7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

Joshua 9:7 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:7

And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites
Though they did not know them to be such, but as they afterwards appeared to be the Hivites, as the Gibeonites were, they are here so called, see ( Joshua 11:19 ) . The name signifies "serpents"; according to a Derash, or mystical exposition, mentioned by Kimchi, the Gibeonites are so called, because they did the work of the serpent; that is to say, they deceived the Israelites, as the serpent deceived Eve:

peradventure ye dwell among us;
of which they had some suspicion;

and how shall we make a league with you?
which they were forbid to do with any of the seven nations, ( Deuteronomy 7:2 ) .

Joshua 9:7 In-Context

5 And old shoes and patched upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] moldy.

6 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

8 And they said to Joshua, we [are] thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who [are] ye? and whence come ye?

9 And they said to him, From a very far country thy servants have come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,