SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:8
Y ellos respondieron a Josué: Nosotros somos tus siervos. Y Josué les dijo: ¿Quién sois vosotros y de dónde venís?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:8
Verse 8. We are thy servants.] This appears to have been the only answer they gave to the question of the Israelitish elders, and this they gave to Joshua, not to them, as they saw that Joshua was commander-in-chief of the host. Who are ye? and from whence come ye?] To these questions, from such an authority, they felt themselves obliged to give an explicit answer; and they do it very artfully by a mixture of truth, falsehood, and hypocrisy.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. And they said unto Joshua, we [are] thy servants , etc.] Not that they meant to be subjects of his, and tributaries to him; but this they said in great humility and lowliness of mind, being willing to be or do anything he should enjoin them. Abarbinel observes, that this they proposed to Joshua singly, not to be servants to all the people, but to him only, and to have him for their head and governor: and Joshua, said, who [are] ye? and from whence come ye ? by what name are ye called? and from what country do ye come? suspecting, as it should seem, that they were the inhabitants of Canaan; or however he was cautious and upon his guard, lest they should be such, and yet was not enough upon his guard to prevent imposition.
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 אל 413 יהושׁע 3091 עבדיך 5650 אנחנו 587 ויאמר 559 אלהם 413 יהושׁע 3091 מי 4310 אתם 859 ומאין 370 תבאו׃ 935
