Commentary on Joshua, Commentary · Chapter 9
Chap. 9.
ANd when all the Kings that were beyond Iordan, in the mountaines, and in the vallies, and by all the coastes of the great Sea, ouer against Lebanon, (as the Hittites, & the Amorites, the Chanaanites, the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites) heard thereof,
2 They gathered themselues together, to fight against Ioshue, and against Israel, with one accorde.
3 But the inhabitantes of Gibeon hearde, what Ioshue had done vntounto Iericho, and to Ai,
4 And therefore they wrought craftily: for they went, and feigned themselues Embassadours, and tooke old sackes vponupon their asses, and olde bottels for wine both rent, and bound vp,
5 And olde shooes and clouted vponupon their feete: also the rayment vponupon them was olde, and all their prouision of bread was dried and mouled.
6 So they came vntounto Ioshue into the host to Gilgal, and saide vntounto him, and vntounto the men of Israel, We be come from a farre countrie: now therefore make a league with vsus.
7 Then the men of Israel said vntounto the Hiuites, It may be that thou dwellest among vsus, howe then can I make a league with thee?
8 And they saide vntounto Ioshue, Wee are thy seruantes. Then Ioshue said vntounto them, Who are yee? And whence come ye?
9 And they answered him, From a verie farre countrie thy seruantes are come, for the name of the Lord thy God: for wee hauehave hearde his fame, and all that he hathe done in Aegypt,
10 And all that he hath done to the two Kinges of the Amorites that were beyond Iordan, to Sihon King of Heshbon, and to Og King of Bashan, which were at Ashraroth.
11 Wherefore our elders, and all the inhabitants of our countrie, spake to vsus, saying, Take victuals with you for the iourney, & goe to meete them, and say vntounto them, Wee are your seruantes, now therefore make you a league with vsus.
12 This our bread we tooke it hot with vsus for victuals out of our houses, the day we departed to come vntounto you: but nowe beholde, it is dried, and it is mouled.
13 Also these bottels of wine, which we filled, were newe, and loe, they be rent, and these our garments, and our shooes are old, by reason of the exceeding great iourney.
14 And the men accepted their tale, concerning their victuals, and counseled not with the mouth of the Lord.
15 So Ioshue made peace with them, and made a league with them, that he would suffer them to liue: also the Princes of the congregation sware vntounto them.
1 When all the Kings, &c.) Seeing these Kings were not ignorant from the beginning of the peoples comming, it is certaine, that their mindes were made dronke from aboue with securitie, or rather slouthfulnes, that they did not at the first make a league, & ioyne to gether to come foorth against them. For it was a point of extreme blockishnesse, to take no care of thēselues before they were violently drawen out of their drousinesse, by the ouerthrowe of two cities. For because it was a common warre, it was a kinde of voluntarie yeelding, to send no aide to their neighboures against their enimies, yea to hauehave no armie in a redinesse that might violently set vponupon them for their defence. But by this meanes God fauoured the infirmitie of his people, vntounto whom the strength of so many nations being ioyned in one, would hauehave bene very terrible. Wherefore it is certain, that by their slouth and dulnesse, the Israelits were made more valiant. For they had time geuen them to gather their forces together, & they that would hauehave ben troubled with the very name of their enimies, prepare themselues at leasure to be redy to receiue them when they came. So although the reprobate doe vse all meanes to destroy the church: yet God, to take away from them all power of annoying, doeth scatter and ouerthrowe their counsels: yea doeth cut off their courage. On the other side their furious boldnesse bewraieth it selfe, that they are not moued with so manifest a miracle, but they will still set themselues like fearce and mad beasts, against the inuincible power of God. The report of the taking of Iericho was brought vntounto them. But how was it taken? By policie or labour of men? By assault, or by artillerie was it ouerthrown? Nay, the walls fell downe alone. With what confidence then do they conspire to make warre against Heauen?
3 But the inhabitantes of Gibeon, &c.) Only the Inhabitants of Gibeon refuse the purpose of warre, and applie their mindes to subtiltie, that vnderunder pretence of dwelling farre off, they might obtein peace. Now was this an odious matter among their neighbours to attempt: for it was a kinde of departing from them, to diminish the force of their confederates, and so to set open the gates to the Israelites. And although the foolish credulitie and light beleefe of Iosue, and the rulers was worthie of reprehension, in that they would so vnaduisedly make a couenant, before they knewe the matter: yet God, which is wont to bring light out of darkenesse, turned it into their benefite: for that hereby releefe was giuen them, that the Israelites might rest in a quiet soyle. Surely, the Gibeonites did well and wisely determine, that it was better for them to suffer any thing, rather then by resisting in vaine, to prouoke God any more against them. But to circumuent those men by fraude and vnlawfull crafte, whose fauour they humbly desired, it was no lesse vnreasonable and ridiculous, then against reason and equitie: for how could that league be stedfast which was grounded vponupon nothing but grosse deceiptfulnesse. For they feigne that they were straungers that came from a farre countrie. Therefore Iosue maketh a couenant with counterfeit or imagined men, and the league hath no holde, but according to their wordes. So the crafte, by which they sought to thrust in themselues, ought to hauehave profited thē nothing. But as there was greater integritie and sinceritie among men in those dayes: so they thought it enough, to get an othe by deceiptfulnesse: which they were sure the people of Israel would neuer breake. Where it is saide, that they also dealt craftely, some referre it amisse to that stratagem or policie of warre, which Iosue vsed in deceiuing the Citizenes of Hai: and no lesse vnskilfully doe some drawe it vntounto the time of Iacob, whose sonnes Leuie and Simeon by fraud oppressed Gen. 34.the Sichemits. But rather it is an opposition betweene the warlike preparation of the Kinges, and the craftie subtiltie by which they did sette vppon Iosue. Therefore, after it was said, that the rest conspired to come to open fight: there followeth the craft of the Gibeonites: and therefore the sense is, that Iosue had to doe, not only with professed enimies, which gathered themselues to fight: but also with the craftie dissimulation of one nation. Yet it may be enquired, why they tooke such paines in a matter nothing necessarie. For wee shall see in another place, that the Israelites were commaunded to offer peace to all men, that vpō their refusall they might proclame iust and lawful warre against them. But because it was commonly reported, that they sought a dwelling place in the land of Chanaan, which they coulde not obteine, except they chased away the inhabitants, the Gibeonits persuade themselus, that they might not otherwise be moued to compassion, except they deceiued by subtiltie, because they thought that wittingly & willingly they would neuer hauehave suffred the land which they inuaded to be possessed of other. Yea, because the commandement was knowne, that they should destroy them all, this necessitie compelled them to subtiltie, because all hope of health was taken from them. And by this reason soone after they desire pardon for their subtiltie, wherevnto they were driuen by necessitie. Yet here ariseth a question: because the Israelites doe obiect again, that it was not lawfull for thē to make any couenant with the nations of Chanaan, but that they must destroy them all. Indeed these two thinges doe not agree: that they shoulde exhorte them to yeelde, and yet not receiue them which humbly and willingly did yeelde. But although God would keepe the law of armes, according to the vsuall manner and custome, & that peace should be offered on that condition, that they would geue place: yet he ment only to trie the minds of those nations, that by their own obstinacie they should be cause of their own destruction: & the people of Israel were charged vtterly to destroy thē: wherevpon this iudgement is taken, that they which dwelt in the land of Chanaan, might not be borne withall, with whome it was not lawfull to make any couenant. And afterward, both these matters are plainely expressed: namely, that they did all obstinately make warre, because that the iudgement of God was, that their hearts should be hardened, that they might perish. Wherevpō we may gather, that they could not be saued, which were appointed to die. If any man obiect, that the Gibeonites which willingly desired peace, were therefore accepted: I answere, that the Israelites doe not consider at this time, that solemne ceremonie, which tooke no effect: but tooke holde of the onelyonly promise, with the commaundement of God: whereby it commeth to passe, that they leaue no hope at all vntounto them: because they were simply and precisely commanded to kill them eueryevery one, to purge the land, and to dwell in their places whome they had slaine.
6 So they came, &c.) I said before, that by good right this league was in vaine, and to no purpose. For what doe they winne, if they obteine their desire, but that they should bee in safetie, if they came out of a farre distant region of the world? And the oftener they doe repeate the same lie, the more they doe abbrogate the couenant procured by deceipt, because the league is not conceiued, but in these words, That the Israelites doe not molest a straunge & farre distant people, especially, when the Israelites doe by name exclude all the inhabitantes of the land of Chanaan. Therefore they should hauehave gained no reward by their subtiltie. Neither doth it any thing helpe them, that they doe deceiue the minde of Iosue, with a false pretence of the name of God. For they pretende, that they were come in the name of God: as though they professed, that they gaue glorie to God, and euen to the God of Israel: in which wordes is contained a refusall of those superstitions, vntounto which they were accustomed. For if it were true, that they were moued to come by the fame of those miracles, which were shewed in Egypt, they ascribe the highest power to the God of Israel, though vnknowen to them.
14 So the men tooke, &c.) They be vaine collections of them, which thinke they tasted of the bread, to feele whether it were moldie with oldnesse: or that they did confirme their league with a feast: whereas in my iudgement, rather their too much credulitie is reproued, that they did lightly beleeue such a feigned tale, and that while they looke only to the bread, they did not consider, that this feigned deuise was without colour of trueth. And surely, if their senses had not bene dulled, they might easily hauehave found manie thinges to disproue the Gibeonites. But because the quickest sight is sometimes deceiued with a vaine shewe, their error is more sharpely reproued, that they enquired not what was the pleasure of God. The remedie was at hande, if they had attempted nothing without the oracle of God. And the matter was of such weight, as they ought to hauehave diligently enquired of it. Wherefore, it was a signe of grosse negligence, when the Priest was at hand, which by Vrim and Thumim might hauehave enquired an answere of God, to decree vnaduisedly of so doubtfull a matter: as though they had had no counsell to direct them. Wherefore, their rashnesse was the lesse excusable, which was ioyned with such manifest neglect of the grace of God.
16 But at the ende of three dayes, after they had made a league with them, they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel tooke their iourney, and came vntounto their cities the thirde day, and their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriathearim.
18 And the children of Israel slewe them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne vntounto them, by the Lorde God of Israel: wherefore all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.
19 Then all the Princes said vntounto all the Congregation, We hauehave sworne vntounto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touche them.
20 But this we will doe to them, and let them liue, lest the wrath be vppon vsus, because of the othe which we sware vntounto them.
21 And the Princes saide vntounto them againe, Let them liue, but they shall hewe wood, and drawe water vntounto all the Congregation, as the Princes appoint them.
22 Ioshue then called them, and talked with them, and said, Wherefore hauehave ye beguiled vsus, saying, We are verie farre from you, when ye dwell among vsus?
23 Nowe therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24 And they answered Ioshue, and said, Because it was tolde thy seruantes, that the Lorde thy God had commanded his seruant Moses to giuegive you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land out of your sight: therefore we were exceeding sore afraide for our liues, at the presence of you, and hauehave done this thing:
25 And beholde nowe we are in thine hand: doe as it seemeth good and right in thine eyes to doe vntounto vsus.
26 Euen so did he vntounto them, and deliuered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slewe them not.
27 And Ioshue appointed them that same daye to be hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the Congregation, and for the altar of the Lord vntounto this day, in the place which he should choose.
16 And after three dayes, &c. That within three dayes after, the error being espied, their lightnesse was reproued, the speedie punishment ought to hauehave stricken them with more reproch and shame. For so it was knowen, that through to much negligence, they were more than shamefully deceiued, because they would not staie to enquire of a matter that was almost before their eyes. That they take their iourney peaceably in that countrie, that they enter safely into the cities, and find victualles at will, that proceedeth of the fatherlie mercifulnesse of God, which doeth not only pardon their offence, but also turneth into good, that which of right should hauehave bene hurtfull vntounto them. And here is declared, that the children of Israel doe not exercise any hostilitie in that contrie, because the immunitie that was promised to the Gibeonites, was confirmed with an othe. Now it is first demanded, Whether the Israelits were bound by any religion, whose purpose was nothing lesse, than to bind their faith to such deceiuers? Then ariseth an other question, Whether it were not in the peoples authoritie, to breake that which the Capteines had foolishly and lewdly promised? As touching the generall sentence, the religion of an othe ought to be so holy amongest vsus, that vnderunder pretence of error we departe not from those couenantes, euen in which we hauehave bene deceiued: seeing the holy name of God is more pretious than all the riches of the world. Therefore, though a man hauehave sworne vnaduisedly, no losse or hinderance ought to breake his promise. And I doubt not but in this sense. Dauid saith, that Psal. 15. 4.the true worshippers of God, if they sweare to their hinderance, do not chaunge it. For they will rather suffer losse, than by breaking their promise bring the name of God in contempte. Wherefore I determine, if only our priuate commoditie be to be considered, whatsoeuer we hauehave promised by othe, is to be performed. And by the wordes it appeareth, that the Israelites were afraid to bring the name of their God in reproch among the nations of Chanaan. For I vnderstand, that it is saide for vehemence sake: that they sware by the God of Israel. But there was a speciall reason, which made it free, for the Israelites not to abide by that deceiptfull couenant: because they had not only departed from their owne right, but also they had gone from the commandement of God, which it was not lawfull to touch in the smallest point. It was not in their power, either to spare them that are vanquished, or else to make any couenantes of geuing ouer and yeelding. But nowe they indent, as though the matter were in their owne handes. We see therefore, howe they hauehave twise dishonored the name of God, while vnderunder pretence of an othe, they doe obstinately defend that, which they had foolishly promised. But whereas the common people doe yeelde so much to their Capteines, in that they hold their hands from the Gibeonits, therein appeareth the honest simplicitie of that age. For it had bene an easie matter to illude them, that the whole people was not bound, by the decree of a few men: like as once the Romanes refused the peace called Caudina, vntounto which only the Consuls and Liuetenantes and Tribunes had sworne, without the commaundement of the Senate, & the people. Therefore, that rude simplicitie was more commendable, in which appeareth more reuerence and religion, than too curious and neere sifting of matters, in which the greatest parte of men at this day doe please themselues, and greatly delight. And although the people take it heauily, that the Capteines hauehave taken vppon them more than was meete they shoulde, yet it was a token of modestie, that the people proceeded no further, than murmuring and grudging.
20 This will we doe, &c.) Although they graunt the Gibeonits their life, according to the couenant: yet they doe not confirme the league, but touching the one halfe thereof. For whereas they should hauehave performed vntounto the Gibeonites, perfect safetie, they take from them their libertie, which was deerer than their life it selfe. Whervpon we gather, that Iosue with the rest, as in a doubtfull and vncertaine matter, deuised this meane way, that the othe should not bee altogether in vaine. The cheefe reason indeed of this deuise, was to appease the multitude: yet because they were highly displeased, that the Gibeonites had so deceiued them, they punished their craftie dealing, lest if they had escaped without any reuenge, the scornfull reproch might hauehave bene increased. And this was an harde condition, not only to be bound to slauish labor, but also to be drawne from their houses, to leade a wandering and an vncerteine life. Therefore they are appointed to be cleauers of woode, and drawers of water for the host, which was an office no lesse base, than painefull. But this is an increase of the slauerie, that they must cleaue woode, and drawe water, wheresoeuer it shall please God to place the Arke.
22 Iosue called, &c.) Because he was to pronounce a sharpe and heauie sentence against them: he telleth them before, that he decreeth nothing vniustly, because it was nothing conuenient, that they should take any aduantage of their owne craft and deceiptfulnesse. Therefore he rebuketh them, that they sought by making a lie to auoyde the daunger: and afterward pronounceth, that they were accursed: by which worde I vnderstande, that the fault of their bondage is laied vponupon them selues: that they susteined no harder punishment, than they deserued by their fraude and subtiltie: as if he saide, The mater of that cōdemnation which he pronounceth, was in them selues. It is sharpe in deede, that no ende is appointed to their labours, wherevnto they were made thrall, and so the wordes doe sounde: There shall neuer faile to be seruantes of you. But yet he affirmeth they shall hauehave no wrong, because they were accursed through their owne fault. As for them, they excuse their fault as much as they canne by necessitie, and yet they refuse not the punishment, which they acknowlege they hauehave iustly deserued. It may be they were so ouercome with feare, that they refused nothing, or else that without flatterie they did humbly and …uetly submitte them selues to such conditions, as were laied vponupon them. For what shoulde they hauehave preuailed by contending or striuing? Because their conscience did accuse them, and they were not able to defend their offence: I doubt not but that they thought they were very gently dealt withall, that their life was preserued.