Commentary on the Book of Joshua John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
24. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
24. Qui responderunt ad Josuam, atque dixerunt, Cum renunciando renunciatum fuit servis tuis quomodo praeceperat Jehova Deus tuus Most servo suo ut daret vobis terram, et disperderet omnes habitatores terrae a facie vestra, timuimus valde animabus nostris a facie vestra, et fecimus istud.
25. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seems good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
25. Et nunc ecce sumus in manu tua, sicut placet, et sicut rectum est in oculis tuis, ut facias nobis, facies.
26. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
26. Et fecit eis ita, liberavitque eos de manu filiorum Israel, nec interfecerunt eos.
27. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood, and drawers of water, for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
27. Constituitque eos Josue eo die caesores lignorum, et haustores aquaq congregationi, et altari Jehovae usque in huuc diem in loco quem elegerit.
16. And it came to pass, etc. The chastisement of their levity by the discovery of the fraud, three days after, must, by the swiftness of the punishment, have made them more sensible of the shame and disgrace. For it was thus known, that through sloth and lethargy, they had very stupidly fallen into error from not having taken the trouble to inquire into a matter almost placed before their eyes. Their marching quietly through that region, entering cities without trouble, and finding free means of sustenance, was owing to the paternal indulgence of God, who not only pardons their fault, but causes that which might justly have been injurious to turn out to their good. Here it is related that the children of Israel did not act in a hostile manner in that region, because the Gibeonites had received a promise of safety confirmed by an oath.
Now two questions arise — first, Whether the children of Israel, who had no intention whatever to pledge their faith to impostors, had contracted any