Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Joshua
Book: Joshua
Chapter: 9
Overview:
The
Kings combine against
Israel.
(1,2) The Gibeonites apply
for peace.
(3-13) They obtain peace, but are soon detected.
(14-21) The Gibeonites are to be bondmen.
(22-27)
1,2 Hitherto the
Canaanites had defended themselves, but here
they consult to attack
Israel. Their minds were blinded, and
their hearts hardened to their
Destruction. Though often at
Enmity with each other, yet they united against
Israel. Oh that
Israel would learn of
Canaanites, to
Sacrifice private interests
to the public welfare, and to lay aside all quarrels among
themselves, that they may unite against the enemies of
God's
kingdom!
3-13 Other people heard these tidings, and were driven thereby
to make
War upon
Israel; but the Gibeonites were led to make
peace with them. Thus the discovery of the
Glory and the
Grace
of
God in the
Gospel, is to some a savour of
Life unto
Life, but
to others a savour of
Death unto
Death, 2Co 2:16. The same
Sun
softens
Wax and hardens
Clay. The falsehood of the Gibeonites
cannot be justified. We must not do evil that good may come. Had
they owned their country, but left its idolatries, giving up
themselves to the
God of
Israel, we have reason to think
Joshua
would have been directed
By the
Oracle of
God to spare their
lives. But when they had once said, "We are come from a far
country," they were led to say it again; and to say what was utterly
false concerning their
Bread, their bottles made of skins, and their
clothes: one
Lie brings
On another, and that a third, and
So On.
The way of that
Sin is especially down-
Hill. Yet their
Faith and
prudence are to be commended. In submitting to
Israel they
submitted to the
God of
Israel, which implied forsaking their
idolatries. And how can we do better than cast ourselves upon
the
Mercy of a
God of all
Goodness? The way to avoid
Judgment is
to meet it
By Repentance. Let us do like these Gibeonites, seek
peace with
God in the rags of abasement, and godly sorrow;
So
our
Sin shall not be our ruin. Let us be servants to
Jesus, our
blessed
Joshua, and we shall live.
14-21 The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the
Gibeonites, hastily concluded that they confirmed their account.
We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take
God
with us, and do not consult him
By the
Word and
Prayer. The
fraud was soon found out. A lying tongue is but for a moment.
Had the
Oath been in itself unlawful, it would not have been
binding; for
No obligation can render it our duty to commit a
Sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the
Canaanites who
submitted, and left
Idolatry, desiring only that their lives
might be spared. A citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and
changes not, Ps 15:4.
Joshua and the princes, when they found
that they had been deceived, did not apply to
Eleazar the high
Priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they
pretend that
No Faith is to be kept with those to whom they had
sworn. Let this convince us how we ought to keep our promises,
and make good our bargains; and what
Conscience we ought to make
of our words.
22-27 The Gibeonites do not justify their
Lie, but plead that
they did it to save their lives. And the fear was not merely of
the power of
Man; one might flee from that to the Divine
protection; but of the power of
God himself, which they saw
engaged against them.
Joshua sentences them to perpetual
Bondage. They must be servants, but any work becomes honourable,
when it is done for the
House of the
Lord, and the offices
thereof. Let us, in like manner, submit to our
Lord Jesus,
saying, We are in thy
Hand, do unto us as seemeth good and right
unto thee, only save our souls; and we shall not repent it. If
He appoints us to
Bear his
Cross, and serve him, that shall be
neither shame nor grief to us, while the meanest office in
God's
service will entitle us to a dwelling in the
House of the
Lord
all the days of our
Life. And in coming to the
Saviour, we do
not proceed upon a peradventure. We are invited to draw nigh,
and are assured that him that cometh to Him, he will in
No Wise
cast out. Even those things which sound harsh, and are humbling,
and form sharp trials of our sincerity, will prove of real
advantage.