John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. And it came to pass, when all the kings which [were] on this side Jordan , etc.] On the side Israel now were, and was that in which the land of Canaan lay, and was now governed by many kings, and all that were now remaining, even all but the kings of Jericho and Ai, who were slain: both those in the hills, and in the valleys ; that dwelt in the mountainous part of the country, and in the plains of it: and in all the coasts of the great sea, over against Lebanon ; who inhabited and governed in that part of the country which lay on the coast of the Mediterranean sea, the country of Phoenicia, in which were Tyre, Sidon, and other cities, and were over against Mount Lebanon, which was on the northern part of the country; according to the Latin version, they dwelt near Lebanon; and according to the Septuagint, near Antilibanus. It seems best, with Noldius f141 , to render the words, “even unto Lebanon”, for it designs all the sea coasts reaching to it; for all the maritime coasts did not lie over against it: the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [thereof] ; what they heard is not said, but to be understood; particularly they heard what had been done by Joshua, and the people of Israel, to Jericho and Ai: and their kings, ( Joshua 9:3). Some think, as Abarbinel, that they had heard of the altar Joshua had made, and of the stones he had set up, and of his reading the law to the people, by which they were to be governed; all which they understood as taking possession of the country, and looking upon it as conquered, and obliging his people to swear fealty to him. All the nations of Canaan are mentioned but the Gergasites; which, according to the Jewish writers, are omitted, because they were but few; the Septuagint version has them in some copies.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1, 2 - Hitherto the Canaanites had defended themselves, but here they consul to attack Israel. Their minds were blinded, and their hearts hardene to their destruction. Though often at enmity with each other, yet the united against Israel. Oh that Israel would learn of Canaanites, to sacrifice private interests to the public welfare, and to lay aside all quarrels among themselves, that they may unite against the enemies of God's kingdom! (Jos 9:3-13)
Original Hebrew ויהי1961 כשׁמע8085 כל3605 המלכים4428 אשׁר834 בעבר5676 הירדן3383 בהר2022 ובשׁפלה8219 ובכל3605 חוף2348 הים3220 הגדול1419 אל413 מול4136 הלבנון3844 החתי2850 והאמרי567 הכנעני3669 הפרזי6522 החוי2340 והיבוסי׃2983
