Joshua 9:1

Joshua 9:1-2. The First League of the Canaanite Kings

1. And it came to pass Thus "that spring morning" did Israel "consecrate Palestine unto the Lord, and take sea and lake, mountain and valley the most hallowed spots in their history as witnesses of their covenant." It was probably on this occasion that the Egyptian coffin, containing the embalmed body of Joseph (Genesis 50:25-26), was laid by the two tribes of the house of Joseph in the parcel of groundnear Shechem, which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor(Genesis 33:19). These important preliminaries having been carried out, the further prosecution of the campaign was possible.

the kings Hitherto single cities had been the objects of Joshua's contention. Now leagues and confederacies were formed against him.

in the hills i.e. the hill country of southern and central Canaan. In Numbers 13:17, it is called "the mountain." Comp. also Deuteronomy 1:7. The whole region of the western portion of Canaan is here described under three divisions: (a) the central hills, (b) the valleys = the shephelah(Deuteronomy 1:7), (c) the seaboard. For the nations here enumerated see above, Joshua 3:10.