Wesley Corpus

Chapter IX The confederacy of the kings of Canaan against Israel, ver. 1,2. The confederacy of the Gibeonites with Israel, ver. 3 - 18. Their employment, ver. 19 - 27. Together - They entered into a league to do this. Tho' they were many kings of different nations, and doubtless of different interests, often at variance with each other, yet they are all determined to unite against Israel. O that Israel would learn this of Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public good, and to lay aside all animosities among themselves, that they may cordially unite against the common enemy. Gibeon - A great and royal city of the Hivites. Been ambassadors - Sent from a far country. The camp at Gilgal - The place of their head - quarters. Men of Israel - To those who used to meet in council with Joshua, to whom it belonged to make leagues, even the princes of the congregation. Now therefore - Because we are not of this people, whom, as we are informed, you are obliged utterly to destroy. The Hivites - That is, the Gibeonites who were Hivites, Josh 11:19. Among us - That is, in this land, and so are of that people with whom we are forbidden to make any league or covenant. Thy servants - We desire a league with you upon your own terms; we are ready to accept of any conditions. From whence came ye - For this free and general concession gave Joshua cause to suspect that they were Canaanites. Name of the Lord - Being moved thereunto by the report of his great and glorious nature and works; so they gave them hopes that they would embrace their religion. In Egypt - They cunningly mention those things only which were done some time ago, and say nothing of dividing Jordan, or the destruction of Jericho and Ai, as if they lived so far off that the fame of those things had not yet reached them. The bottles - Leathern bottles. The men - That is, the princes. Their victuals - That they might examine the truth of what they said. The mouth of the Lord - As they ought to have done upon all such weighty occasions. So they are accused of rashness and neglect of their duty.