Josué 9
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Josué 9
Spurgeon - Joshua thought the matter so clear that he had no need to seek divine direction. It is usually in such cases that we err. Hubbard - Suddenly, a sense of foreboding overshadows the story, for the last time Israel followed human sense the disastrous defeat at Ai resulted (Joshua 7:1–5). Is history repeating itself here? Will the treachery of Gibeon put Israel at risk as did the treachery of Achan? Or might Yahweh’s providence actually be behind the conversation? (Joshua NIV Application Commentary) Rod Mattoon - Our prayerlessness destroys our discernment. The neglect of prayer suggested pride in Israel’s judgment and it gets them into trouble. The I Don’t Need God Syndrome ruins our life and leads to bad decisions. We can learn from Joshua’s mistakes and failures. Pray about your decisions and for God’s direction in your life! Be alert of decisions made under pressure. Be leery of decisions made without consulting the Lord. Learn to wait on the Lord for direction. He won’t let an opportunity go by that He wants us to have. If you are called upon to act and have no time to pray, don’t act. If you are called upon to go a certain direction and can’t wait for the peace of God, don’t move. Dare to wait upon God. Those who wait upon the Lord shall never be ashamed. God will give direction through His Word, the Holy Spirit, prayer, godly counsel, and parents. (Treasures From Joshua ) Mattoon adds an interesting thought - If Joshua had thought things through, he would have realized the deception. A genuine delegation would bring more supplies. They would have brought a bigger group for security purposes. The servants would have baked fresh bread. Proper attire would have been brought for the best impression they could make. The bread showed age but the other food did not because they ate the other victuals. Madvig comments that "“Ironically, of all people, Joshua failed to inquire of the Lord. Joshua had gone up the mountain of revelation with Moses (Ex 24:13–14); and in his preparation for leadership, he had been trained in the use of the Urim and Thummim for determining the will of God (Nu 27:18–21). How easy it is even in the service of the Lord to take God’s guidance and blessing for granted! (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) George Bush writes that "no proposed course of conduct can be so clear to a Christian as to excuse him from the duty of seeking direction from above.” Ralph Davis - How Israel needed wisdom, yet how Israel neglected wisdom! Whether verse 14a alludes to participating in a covenant meal is not so crucial. We catch the main concern when we hear verse 14b bemoaning Israels folly: but the mouth of Yahweh they did not ask (the mouth of Yahweh carries the emphasis in the Hebrew text). Joshua and his men should have inquired of Yahweh through Eleazar the priest (see Nu 27:21). Yahweh's direction was available but was ignored. Now it was not that Joshua and the elders did not ask the right questions; they were suspicious at just the right points (v8). It was not that they were sloppy in their investigation but that they were alone in their decision. It wasn't that they didn't think but that they didn't pray. They did not have because they did not ask (James 4:2).This episode raises pertinent questions for Gods people. Do we need the guidance of God only when we are in doubt? Do we not need to be careful when we begin to think, There is no need to consult the Lord on this matter it?s quite clear No proposed course of conduct can be so clear to a Christian as to excuse him from the duty of seeking direction from above. Not that you have to ask the Lord whether you should get a haircut at four oclock. The Scriptures do not require wilting in the everlasting arms, only leaning on them. But we must beware of that subtle unbelief that assumes I have this under control. Joshua 9 warns Gods people against such cocky independence. In the context of our various trials we need wisdom to know how to function in those trials and circumstances; it is available from a giving God, and we are to ask for it (James 1:5). Our need is no different from Israel?s. We need not only the power of God to overwhelm our obvious enemies but also the wisdom of God to detect our subtle enemies. Unfortunately, the church too often craves Gods power while it ignores Gods wisdom. (Focus on the Bible: Joshua) Disciple's Study Bible- This is one of the few cases in the Bible where failure to pray is pointed out. Not inquiring of God's will leads to wrong decisions which have lasting effects in our lives and in the lives of others. 1Chr 10:13-14 Isa 30:1-2 SCOFIELD - Though Israel had found that obedience was necessary for victory at Jericho and Ai, they had yet to learn their need of divine guidance at every step. The Gibeonites brought only trouble to Israel (Josh 10:4 - 15; 2 Sam 21:1 - 14). Furthermore, the presence of the Gibeonites across the center of Canaan tended to isolate the tribes in the north from those in the south, led to sectional feeling, and ultimately had its share in the dividing of the kingdom in Rehoboam's day (1 Ki 12).
Josué 9
Spurgeon - An oath is never to be lightly treated, nor a promise either, indeed the Christian man’s word is his bond, and is everyway as binding as an oath. Stephen Grant - The swearing of an oath in the Old Testament was a serious step and had significant consequences. It was the unbreakable word of a person, which invoked the authority of the name by whom the oath was sworn. To swear an oath by the name of the Lord God was to swear by the greatest of all authority. All the authority and character of the Lord was invoked by the oath and the consequences of breaking it were accepted as coming from the Lord: “When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself” (Heb 6:13). In the Old Testament the Lord condemned those who swore falsely (Zech 5:3–4; Mal 3:5). In the New Testament James instructs the believer, “Swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation” (James 5:12). The Christian should not have to call upon a greater authority to lend weight to his word. As a believer his word should be true. (What the Bible Teaches - Joshua Judges Ruth) Utley “we cannot touch them” This is a Qal IMPERFECT NEGATIVE and a Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT used in a metaphorical sense for harm (cf. Ge 26:11; 2 Sa 14:10; 1 Chr 16:22; Ps 105:15). Related Resources: What does it mean to let your yes be yes and your no be no? | GotQuestions.org What does the Bible say about keeping your vows / oaths? | GotQuestions.org - Excerpt - Because of the greatness of the name of God, any use of God’s name that brings dishonor on Him or on His character is taking His name in vain. The third of the Ten Commandments forbids taking or using the Lord’s name in an irreverent manner because that would indicate a lack of respect for God Himself. A person who misuses God’s name will not be held “guiltless” by the Lord (Exodus 20:7). In the Old Testament, bringing dishonor on God’s name was done by failing to perform an oath or vow taken in His name (Leviticus 19:12). The man who used God’s name to legitimize his oath, and then broke his promise, would indicate his lack of reverence for God as well as a lack of fear of His holy retribution. It was essentially the same as denying God’s existence. For believers, however, there is no need to use God’s name to legitimize an oath as we are not to take oaths in the first place, letting our “yes be yes” and our “no be no” (Matthew 5:33-37). Is saying 'OMG' or words like geez still taking the Lord’s name in vain? | GotQuestions.org How should Christians respond when people use God’s name as a curse word? | GotQuestions.org George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 9 19. We have sworn unto them. Chal. ‘We have sworn to them by the Word of the Lord.’ They plead neither the lawfulness nor the prudence of the oath, but only its obligation when taken. Although they had been deceived in the business, and the covenant had been made on a supposition which was afterwards proved to be false, yet having sworn by Jehovah, they did not feel at liberty to break their compact. It has been suggested that Joshua might have taken advantage of their own words to annul the treaty, and said to them, ‘Ye are come, according to your own statement, from a far country; but these cities are near at hand; their inhabitants therefore are not the people with whom we have covenanted, and ye have nothing to do to interfere with or prevent their destruction.’ But he would not resort to any shifts or quibbles to elude the oath. Like the good man of the Psalmist, though he had sworn to his own hurt, he would not change. Having made a solemn compact, he would abide by it at all events. If he had now broken his covenant the whole people of Canaan would have represented him as a violator of his engagements; it was therefore better to fulfil his agreement, however hasty and ill-advised, than by departing from it to give occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme. His answer takes it for granted that the sentiments of the people accorded with his own as to the solemn obligations now resting upon them. May not touch them. May not hurt or injure them. For this sense of the word see Gen. 26:11; Ruth 2:9; Job 1:11; Ps. 105:15; Zech. 2:8. Chal. ‘May not give them damage.’ We will even let them live. Chal. ‘We will make them to survive.’ Joshua 9:20 "This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them." wrath: 2Sa 21:1-6 2Ch 36:13 Pr 20:25 Eze 17:12-21 Zec 5:3,4 Mal 3:5 Ro 1:31 1Ti 1:10 Joshua 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DANGER OF BREAKING COVENANT - GOD'S WRATH This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them - They leaders had a healthy fear and respect for Jehovah. They knew that God would stand behind this covenant and to break it would guarantee the outpouring of His wrath. Years later King Saul broke his vow to the Gibeonites and God punished the entire nation with a famine. Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David sought the presence of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah). 3 Thus David said to the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?” 4 Then the Gibeonites said to him, “We have no concern of silver or gold with Saul or his house, nor is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “I will do for you whatever you say.” 5 So they said to the king, “The man who consumed us and who planned to exterminate us from remaining within any border of Israel, 6 let seven men from his sons be given to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD.” And the king said, “I will give them.” (2Sa 21:1-6) Related Resource: Was the killing of Saul’s descendants a just response to Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites? | GotQuestions.org And so not only was there a 3 year famine on Israel, there was the death of seven sons related to Saul to atone for Saul's breaking the covenant made by Joshua several hundred years before! God has a long memory when it comes to solemn covenants and oaths! Matthews - If the leaders rescind the agreement, they transgress the third commandment (Ex 20:7), subjecting the camp to judgment. Their compromise appeases the congregation (Josh 9:26). (Joshua Teach the Text Commentary)
Josué 9
Spurgeon - The poor Gibeonites were glad to escape even on these terms. If the Lord Jesus will but spare us, we also shall be only too glad to hew wood or draw water for him, and for his people.) The passage shews us that the desire of self-preservation makes men use their wits, and it leads us to wonder haw it is that so few persons appear to use common judgment and ordinary care as to the salvation of their souls. Grant on house of my God - They would do the menial manual tasks that were necessary for the functioning of the camp of Israel and the maintenance of the house of the God of Israel. At this point in the history of Israel this would be the tabernacle and then the house of the Lord that was present in Shiloh (18:1; 1 Sam 1:7) until Solomon established the temple in Jerusalem. (What the Bible Teaches - Joshua Judges Ruth) Believer's Study Bible - By this means the Gibeonites were placed in an environment where they would be exposed to the knowledge of God. God's judgment in this case was an act of grace by which many were brought into a relationship with the Lord (cf. 11:19, 20; 21:17; 1 Kin. 3:4, 5; 1 Chr. 12:4; 21:29; 2 Chr. 1:5; Jer. 28:1; Neh. 3:7; 7:25). Matthews - God exhibits mercy to those who honor his name and his word (Exod. 33:19). Both the Gibeonites and the Israelites sin, but the Lord does not inflict retribution. The invocation of a divine curse may imply the Lord’s judgment, but there is no direct condemnation in the narrative. The narrative has no word spoken by the Lord directly. His silence suggests his absence, but Joshua appears to stand in for the divine voice, since his actions recall God’s response to the serpent’s deceit in the garden. Joshua interrogates the Gibeonites (Josh 9:22), as God does Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:9–13), and he inflicts a curse (Josh 9:23), as God does against the serpent (Gen. 3:14). The Mosaic command to destroy all the inhabitants is evidently not absolute (Deut. 7:2), as the exceptions of Rahab and Gibeon show. What differentiates Rahab and Gibeon from the rebellious nations is their humility toward Israel. The Canaanite kings are hostile enemies, seeking to destroy Israel. Furthermore, the Gibeonites ultimately exhibit in this incident the character required of Israel itself. The narratives compare the Gibeonites to the Israelites largely in a better light. Although the Israelites reunited into one community at the recitation of the covenant (Josh 8:30–35), they now splinter between the leadership and the community (cf. Josh 1:17). But the Gibeonites are united, expressing the one mind of their four cities (Josh 9:11). The Gibeonites’ deception results from their acceptance of Moses’s words (Josh 9:24). The Gibeonites function more cohesively around God’s word than do the Israelites themselves. Nevertheless, there are solemn consequences. The Gibeonites become slaves to the Israelites, and the Israelites because of their new covenant with Gibeon subsequently face a formidable coalition of enemies (10:1–5). (Joshua Teach the Text Commentary) Cursed (0779) arar which refers principally to exclamations, or imprecations, uttered by one person against another. It bears the idea of people reviling one another. Gilbrant adds it "carries the idea of being bound or banned from something. Therefore, God's original curse to Satan in Ge 3:14, 17, "cursed are you above all cattle and cursed is the ground for your sake," means you are banned from all the other animals and condemned to be the soil on your account. Likewise, God's curse upon Cain, "you are cursed from the earth" (Gen. 4:11, 12), means Cain is banned from enjoying the productivity of the earth's soil. Furthermore, the curse pronounced upon Jezebel by Elijah (1 Ki. 21:23) barred her from a proper burial (2 Ki. 9:34). Balaam was hired by King Balak to curse the Israelites (Num. 22:6ff). Although his efforts were unsuccessful, Balak desired Balaam to disable the Israelite forces. The Israelites, however, eventually brought the curse of God upon themselves through idolatry and its accompanying immorality (Num. 25:1-9). Most of the curse sayings are within proclamations of laws (Deut. 27:15-26; 28:16-19) or pronouncements of threats (Jer. 11:3; 17:5). (Complete Biblical Library) Only used twice in Joshua - Joshua 6:26, Joshua 9:23 George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 9 23. Now therefore ye are cursed. Ye shall be subjected to a severe calamity. Ye shall pay a bitter penalty for your deception. Ye shall subject yourselves and your children to the curse of a degrading bondage, and thereby shall the ancient denunciation against your ancestor be fulfilled;—‘Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be.’ Had they dealt fairly and ingenuously with Israel, their lives would no doubt have been spared on more favorable and honorable terms. As it was, however, it cannot be doubted that their punishment was overruled and turned to a signal blessing to them. They were hereby brought into a situation where they would naturally acquire the knowledge of the true God and of his revealed will, were made to dwell in the courts of the Lord’s house, were honored with near access to him in the services of the sanctuary, and thus placed in circumstances eminently favorable to their spiritual and eternal interests. If David could say, ‘I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness,’ surely these poor benighted heathen may well have esteemed their lot a blessing, hard and toilsome and humble as it was. They are supposed to have been afterwards called Nethinim, i. e. persons given, dedicated, consecrated to the service of the sanctuary and the assistance of the Levites. See v. 27; 1 Chron. 9:2. There shall none of you be freed from being bondmen. Heb. לא יכרת מכם עבד lō yikkârëth mikkem öbëd, there shall not be cut off from you a servant; i. e. the line of servitude shall be kept up; a sentence by which the bondage imposed upon them should be entailed upon their posterity. Mr. Harmer undertakes to show from Shaw and other travellers, that these were the employments of females in the East, and that consequently the bitterness of their doom consisted not so much in being subjected to a laborious service, as in being degraded from the characteristic employments of men to those of women. There may be some force in this remark as applied to domestic civil life, but here the case is different; it is certain that these menial services, if they had not been performed by the Gibeonites, would have devolved upon the Israelites, and that too upon the men, and not the women of the congregation, for only males were employed about the sanctuary. For the house of my God. Chal. ‘For the sanctuary of my God,’ spoken primarily of the tabernacle, which was at that time the seat of worship, but with an ulterior reference to the temple which should be afterwards erected. Joshua 9:24 So they answered Joshua and said, "Because it was certainly told your servants that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. the LORD your God: Ex 23:31-33 Nu 33:51,52,55,56 De 7:1,2,23,24 20:15-17 we feared greatly for our lives: Ex 15:14-16 Job 2:4 Mt 10:28 Joshua 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Exodus 23:27 “I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. THE GIBEONITES' TRUTHFUL RESPONSE So they answered Joshua and said, "Because it was certainly told your servants that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy (shamad) all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing - Now the Gibeonites give a well reasoned, probably truthful answer to Joshua. In a sense they almost seem to express belief in the Abrahamic Covenant (See comment by Guzik) Woudstra - “Servants should be taken in the most pejorative sense here. As woodcutters and water carriers the Gibeonites will perform only menial services (see Deut. 29:11).” (The Book of Joshua The New International Commentary) Destroy (demolish, exterminate) (08045) shamad is a verb meaning "be destroyed, decimated, perished, overthrown, exterminated, i.e., pertaining to being in a totally ruined state, which can include death of a person or extinction of an entity." The destruction depicted by shamad usually involves a rather sudden catastrophe such as warfare or a mass killing. For example in Dt 6:15 God says He will "wipe" Israel off the face of the earth, so great was His anger against them! It is worth noting that the last OT use of shamad is one of the greatest for the nation of Israel, the prophet Zechariah recording "And in that day (WHAT DAY - Read Zechariah 12:1-14+) I (JEHOVAH/YAHWEH HIMSELF) will set about to destroy all (HOW MANY?) the nations that come against Jerusalem." (Zechariah 12:9+) Anti-Semitism will be obliterated! The prophet Isaiah gives a prophecy that should startle every person who is not a believer in the Messiah - "Behold, the day of the LORD is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, To make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it." (Isa. 13:9+) George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 9 24. And they answered, &c. The words in which they make reply are well weighed. It is a delicate and very cogent appeal to the humanity and piety of Israel. They offer the best excuse for themselves which their conduct would admit. They attempt not to justify their prevarication, but in effect beg pardon for it; pleading that it was purely to save their lives that they had recourse to it. No one who feels the force of the law of self-preservation but must make great allowances for them, especially as they were not prompted by the fear of man, but of God himself, whom nothing can resist. Joshua 9:25 "Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us." we are: Ge 16:6 Jdg 8:15 2Sa 24:14 Isa 47:6 Jer 26:14 38:5 as it seems: Jdg 10:15 1Sa 3:18 Mt 11:26 Joshua 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GIBEONITES SUBMIT TO JOSHUA Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us - To be in Joshua's hands means to be under his (and all the Israelites') power, authority and supervision. One is reminded of the words of David in Psalm 84... For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:10-11) Utley “good and right” These two NOUNS) are synonymous in this context. The Gibeonites are throwing themselves on the covenant promises made in YHWH’s name and Joshua’s sense of appropriate mercy. George Bush - Notes Critical and Practical on the Book of Joshua - Chapter 9 25. We are in thine hand. Chal. ‘We are delivered into thine hand.’ In thy power, at thy disposal, having nothing more to say for ourselves. As it seemeth good and right unto thee—do. Whatever justice and mercy dictate to thee to do unto us, that perform. They expect justice because they deceived the Israelites; yet they hope for mercy because they were driven to this expedient for fear of losing their lives. This willing submission of the Gibeonites may be improved by us. They accounted it no great matter to cede their cities, and to spend their days in servitude, seeing God had spared their lives. And shall we think much of sacrificing any temporal interests, or of performing any self-denying duties, when we have reason to think that God has spared the life of our souls? If we look for mercy at the hands of Jesus, all that we have and are must be the Lord’s. We must be willing to be anything and do anything that he appoints for us. Joshua 9:26 Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. Joshua 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SNATCHED FROM JAWS OF DEATH Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them - Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation, came to the rescue of the Gibeonites!