THE LEAGUE WITH THE GIBEONITES Joshua 9 forms an introduction to the narrative of the Southern campaign (Joshua 10). The Gibeonite cities were important enough both politically and geographically (see on Joshua 9:17 and Joshua 10:2) for their defection to frighten the surrounding kinglets into conc... [ Continue Reading ]
GIBEON] 2 m. N. of Jerusalem. For its importance see on Joshua 10:2; Joshua 10:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK OF THEIR VICTUALS] thus accepting their specious story, and incidentally committing themselves, according to Eastern rule of hospitality, to at least a temporary friendship. ASKED NOT COUNSEL BY URIM AND THUNUNIM] as e.g. we find them asking in Judges 1:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEIR CITIES WERE] All these four cities have been identified in the territory afterwards occupied by Benjamin and the N. border of Judah.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST WRATH COME UPON US] Centuries later we are told (2 Samuel 21) that the Israelites of David's time felt this 'wrath' when Saul had broken his ancestral compact with Gibeon.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEWERS OF WOOD, etc.] This is the description of the normal function of resident aliens in Deuteronomy 29:11. From Joshua 9:23; Joshua 9:27 we find that their tasks were mainly, though not entirely, concerned with the sacrificial worship of the House of God. In Joshua 9-11 inclusive we have the acco... [ Continue Reading ]