SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:11
Por lo cual nuestros ancianos y todos los moradores de nuestra tierra nos dijeron: Tomad en vuestras manos provisión para el camino, e id al encuentro de ellos, y decidles: Nosotros somos vuestros siervos, y haced ahora con nosotros alianza.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:11
Verse 11. Wherefore our elders, &c.] All this, and what follows to the end of verse 13, was false, contrived merely for the purpose of deceiving the Israelites, and this they did to save their own lives; as they expected all the inhabitants of Canaan to be put to the sword.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. Wherefore our elders, and all the inhabitants of our country , spake unto us , etc.] They suggest, that their senate, or the states of their country, their principal men were convened, and that it was the unanimous voice of them, and of the people, that they should go on this embassy: saying, take victuals with you for the journey ; sufficient for so long a journey; for, in those times and countries, inns on the road were not frequent as now: and go to meet them ; to prevent their coming in an hostile manner unto them, and make peace, and enter into an alliance with them: and say unto them, we [are] your servants ; ready to come into any terms with them, just and reasonable: therefore now make ye a league with us ; that we may live in friendship, and mutually assist each other, as occasion should require.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-13 - Other people heard these tidings, and were driven thereby to make wa upon Israel; but the Gibeonites were led to make peace with them. Thu the discovery of the glory and the grace of God in the gospel, is to some a savour of life unto life, but to others a savour of death unt death, 2Co 2:16. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay. The falsehood of the Gibeonites cannot be justified. We must not do evi that good may themselves to the God of Israel, we have reason to thin Joshua would have been directed by the oracle of God to spare their lives. But when they had once said, "We are come from a far country, they were led to say it made of skins, and their clothes: one li brings on another, and that a third, and so on. The way of that sin is especially down-hill. Yet their faith and prudence are to be commended In submitting to Israel they submitted to the God of Israel, whic implied forsaking their idolatries. And how can we do better than cas ourselves upon the mercy of a God of all goodness? The way to avoi judgment is to meet it by repentance. Let us do like these Gibeonites seek peace with God in the rags of abasement, and godly sorrow; so ou sin shall not be our ruin. Let us be servants to Jesus, our blesse Joshua, and we shall live.
Original Hebrew
ויאמרו 559 אלינו 413 זקינינו 2205 וכל 3605 ישׁבי 3427 ארצנו 776 לאמר 559 קחו 3947 בידכם 3027 צידה 6720 לדרך 1870 ולכו 1980 לקראתם 7125 ואמרתם 559 אליהם 413 עבדיכם 5650 אנחנו 587 ועתה 6258 כרתו 3772 לנו ברית׃ 1285
