SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:21
Y los príncipes les dijeron: Vivan; mas sean leñadores y aguadores para toda la congregación, como los príncipes les han dicho.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Joshua 9:21
Verse 21. Hewers of wood and drawers of water] Perhaps this is a sort of proverbial expression, signifying the lowest state of servitude, though it may also be understood literally. See below.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 21. And the princes said to them, let them live , etc.] They were very pressing upon them, and importunate with them, to save their lives, because of the oath they had taken: (but let them be hewers of wood, and drawers of water, unto all the congregation) : which was a very low and mean employment, ( Deuteronomy 29:11); as well as wearisome; and this being a yoke of servitude on the Gibeonites, and a punishment of them for their fraud, and of service, profit, and advantage to the people of Israel, the princess proposed it in hopes of pacifying them, and that they would yield to spare the lives of the Gibeonites; what they proposed was, not that they should hew wood and draw water for all the Israelites for their private use, but what was necessary for the service of the sanctuary, which the congregation was obliged to furnish them with; and now these men should do that work for them, which before was incumbent on them; for Joshua afterwards imposed this upon them, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God, ( Joshua 9:23); though Kimchi thinks that while the people of Israel were in camp, and before the land was divided, they were hewers of wood and drawers of water to the congregation; but after the land was divided, and they were settled in their cities and inheritances, then they only hewed wood and drew water for the sanctuary at Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, Gibeon, and the temple; the Jewish writers say f152 , the Nethinim and the Gibeonites were the same, who became proselytes in the times of Joshua, (see 1 Chronicles 9:2); as the princes promised them ; which is to be connected, not with their being hewers of wood and drawers of water, this the princes had said nothing of before, and which is rightly included in a parenthesis, but with their being let to live; this they had promised and sworn to, even all the princes, not only all that were now at Gibeon, and were persuading the people to let the Gibeonites live, but all the princes, even those that were not present, but in the camp at Gilgal.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-21 - The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more hast than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do no consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been in itself unlawful it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render it ou duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanite who submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives migh be spared. A citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and changes not Ps 15:4. Joshua and the princes, when they found that they had bee deceived, did not apply to Eleazar the high priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with those to whom they had sworn. Let this convince us how we ought to keep our promises, and make good our bargains; and what conscience we ought to make of our words.
Original Hebrew
ויאמרו 559 אליהם 413 הנשׂיאים 5387 יחיו 2421 ויהיו 1961 חטבי 2404 עצים 6086 ושׁאבי 7579 מים 4325 לכל 3605 העדה 5712 כאשׁר 834 דברו 1696 להם הנשׂיאים׃ 5387
