Teks -- Joshua 9:15 (NET)

9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Jos 9:15 - To let them live

That is, they should not destroy them. That this league was lawful and obliging, appears, Because Joshua and all the princes, upon the review concluded it so to be, and spared them accordingly. Because God punished the violation of it long after, 2Sa 21:1. Because God is said to have hardened the hearts of all other cities, not to seek peace with Israel, that so he might utterly destroy them, Jos 11:19-20, which seems to imply that their utter destruction did not necessarily come upon them by virtue of any peremptory command of God, but by their own obstinate hardness, whereby they refused to make peace with the Israelites.

JFB: Jos 9:14-15 - the men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord

The mouldy appearance of their bread was, after examination, accepted as guaranteeing the truth of the story. In this precipitate conclusion the Israelites were guilty of excessive credulity and culpable negligence, in not asking by the high priest's Urim and Thummim the mind of God, before entering into the alliance. It is not clear, however, that had they applied for divine direction they would have been forbidden to spare and connect themselves with any of the Canaanite tribes who renounced idolatry and embraced and worshipped the true God. At least, no fault was found with them for making a covenant with the Gibeonites; while, on the other hand, the violation of it was severely punished (2Sa 21:1; and Jos 11:19-20).

Clarke: Jos 9:15 - Joshua made peace with them

Joshua made peace with them - Joshua agreed to receive them into a friendly connection with the Israelites, and to respect their lives and properties; and the elders of Israel bound themselves to the observance of it, and confirmed it with an oath. As the same words are used here as in Jos 9:6, we may suppose that the covenant was made in the ordinary way, a sacrifice being offered on the occasion, and its blood poured out before the Lord. See on Gen 15:10 (note), etc.

TSK: Jos 9:15 - made peace // and the

made peace : Jos 2:12-19, Jos 6:22-25, Jos 11:19; Deu 20:10, Deu 20:11; 2Sa 21:2; Jer 18:7, Jer 18:8

and the : 2Sa 21:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Jos 9:15 - To let them live // Object // Answ

To let them live i.e. that they would not destroy them. Some question whether this league was lawful and obliging, because it is contrary to a positive and precedent law of God, by which they were enjoined to make no peace with them, but utterly to destroy them, Exo 23:32 Ex 34 &c. But this law seems to admit of some exception and favourable interpretation, and that taken from the reason and soul of that law; which was this, that the Israelites might not be tainted with their idolatry and other abominations by cohabitation with them; and therefore when that reason ceased, i.e. if they were willing to relinquish their possessions and idolatry, and other wickedness, and to embrace the true religion, they might be spared. And though this law was delivered in general terms, because God foresaw that the Israelites would be most prone to err on that hand, by sparing those whom they should destroy; yet that it was to be understood with an exception of penitents and true converts might easily be gathered, both from the example of Rahab, and from the tenor of Divine threatenings, which, though absolutely delivered, allow of this exception; as appears from Jer 18:7,8 Jon 3 Jon 4 , and from the great kindness and favour which God hath manifested unto all true penitents, in delivering them from evils threatened to them, and inflicted upon others; which kindness of God we also are obliged to imitate by virtue of that natural and moral law of God implanted in us, and revealed to us, to which such positive commands as this of killing the Canaanites must give place. And that this league was lawful and obliging, may seem probable,

1. Because Joshua and all the princes upon the review concluded it so to be, and spared them accordingly, Jos 9:19,20,22,23 .

2. Because God punished the violation of it long after, 2Sa 21:1 .

3. Because God is said to have hardened the hearts of all other cities not to seek peace with Israel, that so he might utterly destroy them, Jos 11:19,20 , which seems to imply that their utter destruction did not necessarily come upon them by virtue of any absolute and peremptory command of God to destroy them, but by their own obstinate hardness, whereby they neglected and refused to make peace with the Israelites.

Object. This league was grounded upon a deceit and error of the persons, which also they had entered a caution against, Jos 9:7 .

Answ Their supposition that they were Canaanites was indeed a part of the foregoing discourse, Jos 9:7 , and the Israelites rested satisfied with their answer, and believed they were not, and so entered into the league; but that league was absolute, not suspended upon that or any other condition; and the error was not about the persons, but about the country and people to which they belonged, which was not material to this contract, no more than it is to a contract of marriage, that the one person believed the other to be of another country or family than indeed they were.

Gill: Jos 9:15 - And Joshua made peace with them // and made a league with them, to let them live // and the princes of the congregation sware unto them

And Joshua made peace with them,.... Upon the report the princes made of having examined what they had said, and which they found to be true, particularly concerning their victuals:

and made a league with them, to let them live; and not destroy them as he did the Canaanites, and was ordered to do; they being supposed not to belong to them by the representation of things they had made:

and the princes of the congregation sware unto them; that they would keep the league and covenant they had made with them inviolable; they ratified it by an oath, which was a sacred solemn thing.