SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:2
tuvieron gran temor; porque Gabaón era una gran ciudad, como una de las ciudades reales, y mayor que Hai, y todos sus varones fuertes.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 10:2
Verse 2. As one of the royal cities] Not a regal city, but great, well inhabited and well fortified, as those cities which served for the royal residence generally were. It does not appear that the Gibeonites had any king-they seem to have been a small but powerful republic, all the men thereof were mighty, merely governed by their elders: for in their address to Joshua, Joshua ix. 11, they mention no king, but simply state that they were sent by their elders and the inhabitants of their country; nor do we any where read of their king; and therefore we may naturally suppose that they had none.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. That they feared greatly , etc.] The king of Jerusalem and his people, lest they should fall into the hands of the Israelites, and be used as Jericho and Ai, and the kings and inhabitants of them were, and that they would be the next that should fall a sacrifice to them; for Gibeon was fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, as Josephus says f159 ; and in another place he says but forty, which were but five miles; and if fifty, but little more than six miles; according to Bunting f161 , it was but four miles: and what added to their terror was, because Gibeon [was] a great city ; being a metropolitan city, and having others subject to it; therefore the surrender of that to the Israelites might intimidate other cities, and lead them by example to do the like, and so of bad consequence: as one of the royal cities ; the Vulgate Latin version omits the note of similitude, and reads, “and one of the royal cities”; and sometimes “caph” or “as” is not a note of likeness, but of reality; yet as we nowhere read of a king of Gibeon, the sense may be, that though it was not a royal seat, it was equal to those that were, and like one, being a metropolitan city: and because it [was] greater than Ai : had more inhabitants in it, and perhaps better fortified: and all the men thereof [were] mighty ; men of strength, courage, and valour, warlike men, and therefore for such a city to yield so easily, and in such a base, mean, and cowardly way, was setting a very bad example.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - When sinners leave the service of Satan and the friendship of the world, that they make peace with God and join Israel, they must no marvel if the world hate them, if their former friends become foes. By such methods Satan discourages many who are convinced of their danger and almost persuaded to be Christians, but fear the cross. These thing should quicken us to apply to God for protection, help, an deliverance.
Original Hebrew
וייראו 3372 מאד 3966 כי 3588 עיר 5892 גדולה 1419 גבעון 1391 כאחת 259 ערי 5892 הממלכה 4467 וכי 3588 היא 1931 גדולה 1419 מן 4480 העי 5857 וכל 3605 אנשׁיה 376 גברים׃ 1368
