Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Joshua · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
AND it came to passe, when all the Kings on this side Jordan, in the hills and V. 1, 2.the valleys, &c. heard thereof, they gathered themselves together, &c. In this chapter the divers effects of the preceding judgements are set forth in divers peoples, some hearing of them, harden themselves, and come to fight against Joshua, others come and subject themselves to the Lord, but they are destroyed, these preserved. And so it falleth out still, some are made worse by hearing, Note. and some yeeld, the one sort to their certaine perdition, the other to their salvation. It is strange that all should not bee made to yeeld, hearing of such an unresistable power, against which there was no striving. But their eyes Note. were blinded, and their hearts hardened by a just judgement, this being in them the forerunner of ruine, and so likewise it is in all others, both Princes and common people. Calvin here observeth the singular providence of God in holding these great Forces hitherto from comming against Israel, and that they sent no succours to Jericho, or to Ai, for which they had time enough, Calvin.since their arriving in that land: but herein hee shewed great favour to his people, not being yet so couragious till they had gotten heart, and such is his providence over his Church in dissipating oftentime the great Forces of their enemies, and infatuating their counsells, that his servants may bee the better able to resist them, and lesse indangered by them. In the hills and the valleys, this land was full of hills, especially where the lot of Judah lay, Deut. 1. 24. Judg. 1. 19. And by the coast of the great Sea, that is, the Mediterranean sea, which was on the West, where the Zidonians, Tyrians, and Phenicians dwelt, being of the Canaanite kind, and the Philistims, over against Lebanon, which was on the North, so that here is described a generall uniting of their forces all over the Land to come against Joshua; but how, and in what order this was done, is further declared, Chap. 10. 1. Ch. 11. 1.
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua bad done to Jericho, and Ai, they did worke wilily, and made as if they had been Ambassadors, &c. Gibeon, saith V. 3.one, was 12 miles from Gilgal, where Joshua now was, and 4 miles from Jerusalem, H. Bunt. Patriarchs Trav.it was a great City, Ch. 10. 2. and seated upon an hill from whence it had the name, for Gibeah, or Gibeon signifieth a curled hill. It was within the lot of the tribe of Benjamin, Ch. 18. 25. and was given to the Priests, Ch. 21. 17. it stood upon the hill Siloas, saith Borchardus and Adricomius, so that all the Borchard. Adricomius.memorable things said to have been done in Shilo, were done in this City, here the Tabernacle continued a long time, and here Saul was made King, &c. In the Gibeonites the wonderfull mercy of God appeared even towards some that Ferus.were condemned to die, saith Ferus, so that some, even in Countreys that are most wicked, are made vessels of mercy, as Rahab also before in Jericho. And he doubteth not …ut they were brought by the Spirit of God to submit themselves to Ioshua. And whereas they lyed to save themselves, hee saith, that being Gentiles, this was easily forgiven them. Calvin both derideth the device of the Gibeouites, as needlesse and vain, to come in this dissembling manner: Calvin.needlesse, because the Israelites, before that they assaulted any City, were to offer conditions of peace, and vain, because it could not bee thought that Ioshua could by such poore meanes bee deceived, because they had mouldy bread, &c. to beleeve, that they came from afarre, because they might have such things, although not by accident in a long journey, and the device having taken effect, the Oath obtained was frustrate, because made to a people that had no being in the world, but as it were, to a Phantasma. But it was onelyonly to Cities afarre off, and not to any of the Canaanites, that conditions Deut. 20 15. 16.of peace should bee offered: and their case being desperate, it was not vain for them to use the poorest meanes of escape, referring the successe to God, and because this policy sprung from the fear and terrour of the Lord, hee made it successefull for their preservation, when all others were destroyed. And they beleeved that Ioshua made such conscience of an Oath, that being once taken, hee durst not breake it, although taken to them under the name of farre dwellers, seeing they were the men, to whom hee was bound. Again, Calvin condemneth Joshua for his credulity, when as hee might easily divers wayes have found out the deceit, and for his grosse neglect of Gods Ordinance, in that before hee gave them any resolution, hee went not to the High Priest, with the Ʋrim and Thummim, to enquire of him what hee should doe. This last indeed is spoken of by way of taxation, v. 14. but Lyra saith, that the Lyra.Gibeonites came thus to submit themselves, not onelyonly through fear, but in Faith, as hee gathered from these words, v. 9. In the name of the Lord thy God are wee come, that is, to bee joyned with his people, and to learn how to worship and serve him aright. So likewise Ferus, they knew that all in that Country were adjudged to dye, yet they against hope beleeved, that thus seeking Ferus.peace, and submitting themselves, they should escape with their lives, and therfore happily if Joshua had consulted with the Oracle, the like resolution should have been given, seeing God rejecteth none that humbly seeke unto him for mercy, and hee confirmed what was now done, when for their blood unjustly shed in blinde zeal by Saul, hee sent a famine, and declared this to bee the cause, 2 Sam. 21. And therefore God now wrought so for them, that they being brought by his fear and Faith should not perish, and so the temerity and imprudence of Joshua was the more excusable, this thing being noted Ch. 11. 19. to have come of the Lord. Whereas the Gibeonites are said there to bee a remnant of the Amorites, but Josh. 11. 19. of the Hivites; the word Amorites is to bee understood at large for all the people of Canaan, being of divers sorts, and so the Hivites were comprehended under it.
Two questions here offer themselves; 1 How Joshua could lawfully save these Hivites alive, seeing the charge given by God was utterly to destroy them Deut. 20. 16, 17.all? 2 Whether Joshua were bound by his Oath, to which hee was by them drawn through fraud, to save them? To the first it is answered, that it was not unlawfull to save such as submitted themselves, and yeelded to become proselytes, as Rahah and her house, and these Gibeonites did: for the charge of destroying all was doubtlesse to bee understood with this condition, except in Qu. 1 some extraordinary case, when any of them should voluntarily yeeld from their possessions and religion, and bee at their disposing, which case God foresaw would bee very rare, for by his spirituall judgement hee hardned all others, that none yeelded, that hee might bring their deserved punishments ch. 11. 19.upon them. For the reason why the Lord would not have them to save any alive, was, lest the children of Israel should bee intangled with Idolatry by their meanes, but when any shewed themselves to bee taken with the fear of Exod. 23. 22.God, and ready to turn from this wickednesse, there was not in preserving them the like danger, and this was the case of the Gibeonites. Yet I doe not think, that if they had come directly to sue for mercy, they should have been saved, but the tye of an oath concurring. For the second question, divers Qu. 2 hold diversly: Augustine, Tostatus, Masius, Magallianus, &c. That Joshua August. qu. 13. Josh Tostat. Masius.was not bound by this oath, as also Calvin; of whom before their reasons, 1 Because the oath was made about a thing unlawfull, and contrary to the expresse charge of the Lord. 2 Because the Oath was no more in effect, but if yee bee such farre dwellers, as yee say, yee shall live; yet the Oath was kept, both because they took themselves to bee bound hereby, viz. Joshua and the Princes, and it was afterwards allowed by the Lord. The first of these reasons falleth by that, which hath been already said: and the second, because although Joshua being deceived took them to bee farre dwellers, yet this condition was not expressed in the oath, but it was made to them there present, and therefore hereby Joshua was bound unto them, whatsoever they were, as a man that marryeth a woman, which saith shee is English, although shee bee French, is bound to her, and hee that promiseth money to a Spaniard, who to draw him to it, affirmeth himself to bee an English man. And that they were bound by this Oath appeareth both because Joshua, who had the spirit of God, took himself and them to bee bound hereby, and God afterwards shewed, that it was an Oath that bound, when hee sent a judgement upon the Land for Sauls breaking of it. Wherefore others hold better, that it was a validous oath, as Ambrosius, Lyra, Dionisius. Carthus. Gratianus. If it bee demanded Ambros. offic. li. 3. c. 10. Lyra, Gratian. qu. 22. c 4. 1 Sam 25. Hugo Cardin,then, whether an Oath touching a thing unlawfull bindeth? It is answered no, by no meanes, for when David had sworn to destroy Nabal, having met with Abigail, hee repented and did it not. Wherefore to spare any of this Country was not absolutely unlawfull, whatsoever the case should be, but generally. In this case Joshua knew, that it would bee more pleasing to God to spare then to kill, 1 Because God is more inclinging to mercy to such as ask mercy, then to judgement, although his sentence bee past for judgement, as in the case of the Ninevites. 2. For the avoiding of scandall after this Oath made; for if Joshua had not kept it, the Nations round about would have thought vilely of Israel, as not regarding an Oath, and so that their God cared not, whether Oathes taken were kept or not. If it bee said, this was an incouragement to others to deceive. Answ. It was not for their deceit, that they were saved, but because they feared God, and for other reasons already rendred, thus Hugo.
And the men took of their victuals, this is thought by some to have been done V. 14.to eate thereof, and in eating to make a Covenant, as the manner hath in some places been, but it is more probable, that they onelyonly took and beheld, and smelt unto them, to see whether they were indeed so old or no, using no other means of tryall, either by consulting with the Lord, or questioning with Rahab about them, or observing their manner of speech, as they might have done.
Joshua and the Princes having sworn unto them here, within three dayes, V. 23.that they had deceived them, wherefore hee called them, and accurseth them to servitude, and to bee hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the Congregation. When the Israelites came to their Cities, the Princes could hardly keep them from smiting the Gibeonites, v. 17, 18. but they were pacified by telling them, that they should all bee their servants. If it bee demanded, how justly they could after the oath, bee condemned to servitude? It is Qu. commonly answered, that the League barred not Joshua from this, for they offered themselves, as servants, v. 11. Their Land and Houses then, might notwithstanding bee taken from them, and all their possessions, their lives onelyonly being spared, and they might bee put to any service appointed them. And if the Oath had been taken otherwise, it had been unlawfull, because that whole Land was given to the children of Israel for an inheritance. And accordingly their Cities were given Gibeon, Chaphira, Boeroth to Benjamin, Josh. 18. and Chireathiearim to Judah, Josh. 21. and these are said to bee their Cities, v. 17. And this sentence of being servants was just for their former sins and the fraud now used. Calvin saith that the oath was kept but in part, their lives being spared, but their liberty which was dea…er then life, being for ever taken from them, that they might have little benefit by their fraud, and mockage, yet they quietly submitted themselves, there being no remedy. But it is plain by that, which hath been already said, that the Oath, was not broken in any part, neither durst Joshua certainly have done against it in any thing, for fear of Gods wrath, before whom an Oath is most sacred. But what was their service? Answ. Joshua saith, None of you shall bee freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God, thus Qu. explaining that v. 21. they shall bee hewers of wood, and drawers of water to all the Congregation. For hereby it was not meant that they should bee servants to particular men to doe common works, but to the Tabernacle, providing and bringing wood for the sacrifices, by all the congregation there offered, and water to wash the Priests and sacrifices, and to seeth the flesh brought thither, and whatsoever servile work else they should bee put unto about the Tabernacle and Temple, when that was built, as cutting and sawing stone, &c. so that their bondage was to the Levites, to serve under them continually. Wherefore the strangers appointed by Solomon to doe these works about the Temple, 2 Chron. 2. 17, 18. being 153600. were most probably a great part of them Gibeonites. Whereas at the end of this Chapter, v. 27. it is said, they should bee hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the Congregation, and for the Altar of the Lord, the last words serve to explaine the former, herein, they should serve all the Congregation by doing those publick works, which concerned all. And because their service was about the Temple, they are spoken of amongst the Levites, Porters and singers, by the name of Netbinims, Ezra 7. 24. which by the Kings Decree were made free from toll and tribute, the word Nethinim comming of Nathan, to give, which word is used here, v. 27. Joshua gave them, &c. for these were the men given for this service; and of this name wee read again, Ezra 2. 58. Nehem. 7. 60. and that they could not shew their Genealogies to bee of the children of Israel, whereas Joshua doth not onelyonly condemn them to servitude, but saith that they were accursed, it implyeth nothing else here, as Calvin noteth, but this temporall judgement upon Calvin.their persons, as contrariwise it was a blessing to bee free, and to inherit in that Land, or as Junius, yee are accursed, that is, yee are of the people who are accursed, and appointed to destruction, so that if your lives bee spared, yee may think your selves well dealt withall, though yee bee made servants. If it bee demanded how they were maintained, and how so many could bee placed for habitation and service about the Tabernacle onelyonly, seeing they were Qu. foure Cities? It is answered, that all were not continually at all times imployed at once, but onelyonly so many as were necessary, one company comming to serve after another by course, as the Priests growing numerous were distributed in Davids time into 24 courses. For their habitations, they might have them sparsedly amongst the children of Israel, that dwelt near about the Tabernacle, and their maintenance, when they served, must needs come from the Temple, out of the contributions of all the Congregation, or out of the Levites meanes, to whom they immediately ministred, and amongst whom it seemeth that they dwelt, Ezr. 2. 70. and some of them in Ophel, Nehem. 11. 21. Wherefore Ferus was mistaken in writing, that when Joshua might justly have Ferus.taken away these foure Cities of the Gibeonites, and the spoile of them, yet hee did none of these things for his Oathes sake; for although hee took not happily their goods, yet their Cities were taken, as was before shewed.
Mystically the combining of all the Kings against Joshua, shewed the seeking The Mystery.of the Kings of the Earth, by a joynt consent to overthrow the Gospel of Jesus, by stirring up most hot persecutions against Christians: but as Israel is increased even at this time by the accession of many of that Land unto them, and all their combining against Joshua was vain; so the more Christians were persecuted, the more they increased, gaining some in those tyrants Countries, and all their attempts against Jesus and his Gospel are frustrated, for they fall at length before him, and hee by his people possesseth their lands. Thus Origen, who also thinketh, that by the Gibeonites were figured out some that Origen.live in the Church, and are kinde and serviceable to the Saints of God, but they have old garments, and shooes, &c. that is, live still according to the old man, these shall bee saved, but not without some note of disgrace. But Isidor, better, they injoy a temporall life in the Church, but not eternall. But I Isidor.rather follow Ferus, who by the Gibeonites in their old cloathes comming to Joshua, understandeth penitent sinners, that come to Jesus, there is nothing Ferus.in them to commend them, but vilenesse by reason of sin, yet hee saveth them, and onelyonly imposeth the crosse upon them, which they must bear and serve in the house of God, this is called a curse, but is turned to the into a blessing, in which Paul gloryed above all things: Thus hee upon Chap. 9. Gal. 6. 14.but upon Ch. 10 hee maketh them a figure of such as living in the Church, yet continue in their old sins, they serve others but neglect themselves: These are permitted to live, but are not taken into the society of the faithfull as Rahab was: These are most miserable, labouring onelyonly for things temporall, but losing the eternall.