Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

We were sore afraid of our lives - Self-preservation, which is the most powerful law of nature, dictated to them those measures which they adopted; and they plead this as the motive of their conduct.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

It was mere fear which drove the Gibeonites to act as they did. They sought for union with God‘s people, not for its own sake, but to save their lives. Rahab‘s motives were higher (Joshua 2:9 ff). Hence, she was adopted into Israel; the Gibeonites remained forever bondsmen of Israel.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And they answered Joshua, and said, because it was certainly told thy servants,.... Or "it was told", told^F20הגד הגד "indicando indicatum est", Pagninus, Montanus. ; not only certainly, told, but frequently told them, they had often heard of it by one means or another:

how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land; all the land of Canaan, no part excepted; they had heard much of the Lord God of Israel, and of Moses, what character he bore, and of the commands of the Lord to him; they seem to have knowledge of God, and faith in him as to his promises and threatenings, believing they would be fulfilled:

and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; as the gift of the land of Canaan to Israel was often spoken of by the Lord to Moses, and frequently mentioned by him; so there were instructions given him from the Lord, and which lie delivered to Israel, utterly to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan, so, that these people had accurate intelligence and information of this matter; see Deuteronomy 7:1,

therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing; they answer to Joshua's question, "wherefore have ye beguiled us?" Joshua 9:22, that it was fear of losing their lives, than which nothing is dearer to a man, and the principle of self-preservation that put them upon framing and using this device.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Joshua 9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

Ver. 24. Therefore we were sore afraid of our lives.] Man is ζωον φιλοζωον, a life-loving creature. Skin for skin and all that he hath will he give for his life. But yet he purchaseth his life at too dear a rate who payeth his honesty to save it. He that thus saveth his life shall lose it. Life in God’s displeasure is worse than death, said that martyr.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

‘And they answered Joshua, and said, “Because it was assuredly told your servants, how that YHWH your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.” ’

At this stage the reputation of YHWH and the great prophet Moses were at their highest among the nations. They were afraid of Him and His servants. That was what would be lost through the failure of His people later to be obedient. The word had got around that YHWH had given Canaan to Israel (compare Joshua 2:9) and had commanded destruction of the Canaanites, and the peoples were afraid that He would be able to do it, and were terrified.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

24.It was certainly told thy servants — This information could have been brought by spies sent from Canaan to ascertain the intentions of so formidable a mass of people marching through the wilderness toward Palestine. The language of both nations was nearly the same.

We were sore afraid — They had grounds for their great fear, in view of the fate of their brethren, the Amorites east of the Jordan.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Thereof. It seems they know not that any conditions would be admitted; and many interpreters have supposed, that none could be offered by the Israelites. See Deuteronomy xx. 15.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

commanded. Compare Deuteronomy 7:1-5.

our lives = our souls. Hebrew. Nephesh. See App-13.

LORD. There is an Homoeoteleuton (App-6) here, preserved in the Septuagint; a scribe going back to the former of the two words "Lord"; and reading " the altar of Jehovah [and the inhabitants of Gibeon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of Jehovah]", even unto this day, &c.

even. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-8), thus = "[as they are] even".

in = for.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

the Lord

Exodus 23:31-33; Numbers 33:51,52,55,56; Deuteronomy 7:1,2,23,24; 20:15-17

we were sore

Exodus 15:14-16; Job 2:4; Matthew 10:28

Reciprocal: Numbers 22:3 - General;  Deuteronomy 2:25 - General;  Deuteronomy 2:34 - utterly destroyed;  Deuteronomy 20:16 - General;  Joshua 6:21 - utterly;  Joshua 9:9 - we have;  Joshua 10:6 - from thy;  Joshua 10:40 - as the Lord;  Joshua 11:12 - as Moses;  2 Kings 5:15 - now 1know;  2 Kings 10:5 - We are thy servants;  1 Chronicles 14:17 - the fear of him;  Isaiah 27:5 - let him;  Micah 7:17 - they shall be;  Habakkuk 3:7 - saw the;  Luke 15:19 - make