Josh. 9 The kings of Canaan hear of Joshua’s exploits; consult together, and conclude to fight against Israel, Josh. 9:1–2. The Gibeonites, feigning themselves to be of a far country, obtain a league, Josh. 9:3–15.

They gathered themselves together; not actually, as the following history shows; but they entered into a league or confederation to do this.

Or, but when the inhabitants; for he shows that these took another and a wiser course. Gibeon; a great and royal city of the Hivites, Josh. 10:2, Josh. 11:19.

Ambassadors, sent from a far country, as they say, Josh. 9:6.

Gilgal; the place of their head-quarters. To the men of Israel, to wit, those who used to meet in council with Joshua, to whom it belonged to make leagues, as it here follows, even the princes of the congregation; not the common people, as appears both from Josh. 9:15, Josh. 9:18–19, Josh.

The Hivites, i.e. the Gibeonites, who were Hivites, Josh. 11:19. Among us, i.e. in this land, and so are of that people with whom we are forbidden to make any league or covenant, Ex. 23:32–33, Deut. 7:2, Deut. 20:15–16.

We are thy servants; we desire a league with you upon your own terms; we are ready to accept of any conditions. Who are ye? and from whence come ye? for this free and general concession of theirs gave Joshua just cause to suspect that they were of the cursed Canaanites.

Because of the name of the Lord; being moved thereunto by the report of his great and glorious nature and works; so they gave them hopes that they would embrace their religion.

The men, i.e. the princes, as before, Josh. 9:6. Took of their victuals; not from their want or any desire they could have to such unpleasant and unwholesome food; nor in a ceremony usual in making leagues, for that was not now done, but in the next verse; but that they might examine the truth of…

To let them live, i.e. that they would not destroy them. Some question whether this league was lawful and obliging, because it is contrary to a positive and precedent law of God, by which they were enjoined to make no peace with them, but utterly to destroy them, Ex. 23:32; Exodus 34:0 &c.

At the end of three days, i.e. at the last of them, or upon the third day, as it is said Josh. 9:17; so this phrase is elsewhere used, as Deut. 14:28, Deut. 31:10.

Cities which were subject to Gibeon, which was the royal city, Josh. 10:2.

Partly, from that proneness which is in people to censure the actions of their rulers; partly, because they might think the princes by their rashness had brought them into a snare, that they could neither kill them for fear of the oath, nor spare them for fear of God’s command to the contrary; and…

They plead not the lawfulness or the prudence of the action, but only the obligation of an oath; of which, though it was procured by fraud, they perceived the people sufficiently sensible. We may not touch them, i.e. not hurt them, as that word is oft used, as Gen. 26:11, Ps. 105:15, Ps.

i.e. Let them be public servants, and employed in the meanest offices and drudgeries, (such as this was, this one kind being put for all the rest, as it is Deut.

Ye are cursed; you shall not escape the curse of God, which by Divine sentence belongs to all the Canaanites, who are a people devoted by God to ruin, but only change the quality of it; you shall feel that curse of bondage and servitude, which is proper to your race by virtue of that ancient…

We are in thine hand, i.e. in thy power to use as thou wilt. We refer ourselves to thee and thy own piety and probity, and faithfulness to thy word and oath; if thou wilt destroy thy humble suppliants, we submit.

So as was said Josh. 9:23, and so as here follows.

By which it appears that they were not only to do this service in God’s house, but upon all other occasions, as the congregation needed or required their help.