Joshua 9:3
in Joshua 9But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
KJV
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
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This verse in Joshua 9
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Gibeon was the head of the four towns Jos 9:17 occupied by the Hivites Jos 11:19. The inhabitants were Amorites 2Sa 21:2; the name “Amorites” being used as a general name for the Canaanite population (Deu 1:44 note). The Hivites seem to have had a non-monarchical form of government (compare Jos 9:3, Jos 9:11), but their city was Jos 10:2 in size and importance equal to those cities which the kings of the country made their capitals.
This site's exposition
the people of Gibeon, having heard
on Joshua 9:3-5
Gibeon hears of Jericho and Ai and answers with a lie instead of an army. The Hebrew behind “deceptively” comes from the root of the serpent’s craftiness at Genesis 3:1. Every prop is chosen because it ages, sacks, wineskins, sandals, clothing and bread, five witnesses to a long road.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"In my father's house are many mansions," says the Word of God. Yet even the resurrection of the dead will not exhibit an equal glory of those rising again, for "there is one flesh of birds, another of cattle, and even another of fish. There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies; but the glory of heavenly things is one thing, that of the earthly, another. One glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the stars.
The Reformation1 voice
To make such an attempt, was very odious to their neighbors, because it was, in a manner, to make a schism among them, to open a door to the Israelites, and weaken the strength of their allies.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Other people heard those tidings, and were irritated thereby to make war upon Israel; but the Gibeonites heard them and were induced to make peace with them. Thus the discovery of the glory and grace of God in the gospel is to some a savour of life unto life, but to others a savour of death unto death, 2 Cor. ii.
), because they will have it supposed that they came from home long before those conquests were made. We need not be long to seek for reasons why we should submit to the God of Israel; we may be furnished either with new or old, which we will. (6.) They make a general submission-- We are our servants; and humbly sue for a general agreement-- Make a league with us,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon,.... A large and royal city, a metropolitan one, which had three others belonging to it, and under it, mentioned Jos 9:17; see Jos 10:2; no mention is made of any king over them, perhaps they were governed by elders, Jos 9:
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard--This town, as its name imports, was situated on a rocky eminence, about six miles northwest from Jerusalem, where the modern village of El Jib now stands. It was the capital of the Hivites, and a large important city (Jos 10:2).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The inhabitants of Gibeon heard - These alone did not join the confederation. Gibeon is supposed to have been the capital of the Hivites. In the division of the land it fell to the lot of Benjamin, Jos 18:25, and was afterwards given to the priests, Jos 21:17. See the note on Jos 10:2.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְיֹשְׁבֵ֨י | veyoshevei | and [the] inhabitants of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| גִבְע֜וֹן | givon | Gibeon | H1391 → | 38 times |
| שָׁמְע֗וּ | shameu | they heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵת֩ | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֧ה | ʾasah | he had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ | yehoshua' | Joshua | H3091 → | 218 times |
| לִֽירִיח֖וֹ | liricho | to Jericho | H3405 → | 57 times |
| וְלָעָֽי׃ | velaai | and to <the> Ai | H5857 → | 40 times |
וְיֹשְׁבֵ֨יand [the] inhabitants of
veyosheveiH3427 →1079 times
גִבְע֜וֹןGibeon
givonH1391 →38 times
שָׁמְע֗וּthey heard
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אֵת֩<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁ֨ר[that] which
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֧הhe had done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַJoshua
yehoshua'H3091 →218 times
לִֽירִיח֖וֹto Jericho
lirichoH3405 →57 times
וְלָעָֽי׃and to <the> Ai
velaaiH5857 →40 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 10:2So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 11:25
No man will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you upon all the land, wherever you set foot, as He has promised you.
- Joshua 2:24
“The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”
- Exodus 15:14–16
The nations will hear and tremble; anguish will grip the dwellers of Philistia.
- Revelation 6:15–17
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
- Proverbs 1:26–27
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
- Deuteronomy 11:25
Through
Joshua 9:17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
it leads to
- Joshua 18:25–28
Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth,
- Ezra 2:25
the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;
- 2 Chronicles 1:3–4
And Solomon and the whole assembly went to the high place at Gibeon because it was the location of God’s Tent of Meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the…
- Joshua 18:25–28
Where this verse is studied
About Joshua
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonConquestJoshuaMoses' minister and successor, one of the two faithful spies; he led Israel across Jordan, around Jericho, and through the conques…
- PlaceJordan valleyJerichoThe city of palms whose walls fell flat at the seventh trumpet-circuit; Rahab's city, later rebuilt under a curse, and the road do…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Ruth; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 10.1.