SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:26
Y él lo hizo así; que los libró de la mano de los hijos de Israel, para que no los matasen.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:26
Verse 26. And so did he unto them] That is, he acted according to justice and mercy: he delivered them out of the hands of the people, so that they slew them not-here was mercy; and he made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and to the altar of God-here was justice. Thus Joshua did nothing but what was good and right, not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of the Lord. How long the Gibeonites were preserved as a distinct people after this, we know not. That they existed in the time of David, is evident from the circumstance mentioned on ver. 19. They are not mentioned after the captivity; and it is probable that they were nearly annihilated by the persecution raised up against them by Saul. Some suppose that the Gibeonites existed under the appellation of Nethinim; but of this there is no decisive proof; the Nethinim were probably slaves of a different race. ON what we meet with in this chapter, we may make the following observations. 1. The Gibeonites told lies, in order to save their lives. No expediency can justify this, nor are we called to attempt it. The Gibeonites were heathens, and we can expect nothing better from them. See note at the end of chap. ii. 24. 2. They did not profit by their falsity: had they come in fairly, sought peace, and renounced their idolatry, they would have had life on honourable terms.
As it was, they barely escaped with their lives, and were utterly deprived of their political liberty. Even the good that is sought by unlawful means has God's curse on it. 3. We need not be solicitous for the character of the Gibeonites here; they are neither our models, nor believers in the true God, and therefore pure religion is not concerned in their prevarication and falsity. 4. We see here of what solemn importance an oath was considered among the people of God; they swore to their own hurt, and changed not.
When once they had bound themselves to their Maker, they did not believe that any changing circumstances could justify a departure from so awful an obligation. Thus, reader, shouldst thou fear a lie, and tremble at an oath.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 26. And so did he unto them , etc.] What was good and right, he showed them favour, and did them justice: and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not ; who were so incensed against them for imposing on them in the manner they did, that they were ready many of them to draw their swords and slay them; and would have done it, had it not been for the interposition of Joshua, and the orders he gave to the contrary.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-27 - The Gibeonites do not justify their lie, but plead that they did it to save their lives. And the fear was not merely of the power of man; on might flee from that to the Divine protection; but of the power of God himself, which they saw engaged against them. Joshua sentences them to perpetual bondage. They must be servants, but any work become honourable, when it is done for the house of the Lord, and the office thereof. Let us, in like manner, submit to our Lord Jesus, saying, We are in thy hand, do unto us as seemeth good and right unto thee, onl save our souls; and we shall not repent it. If He appoints us to bea his cross, and serve him, that shall be neither shame nor grief to us while the meanest office in God's service will entitle us to a dwellin in the house of the Lord all the days of our life. And in coming to the Saviour, we do not proceed upon a peradventure. We are invited to dra nigh, and are assured that him that cometh to Him, he will in nowis cast out. Even those things which sound harsh, and are humbling, an form sharp trials of our sincerity, will prove of real advantage __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויעשׂ 6213 להם כן 3651 ויצל 5337 אותם 853 מיד 3027 בני 1121 ישׂראל 3478 ולא 3808 הרגום׃ 2026
