Joshua 9:21

King James Version (KJV)

And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

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.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Render “they shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water:” menial duties belonging to the lowest classes only (compare the marginal reference). The curse of Noah Genesis 9:25 on the children of Ham was thus fulfilled to the letter in the case of these Hivites.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites, hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. A 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 our duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanites who submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives might 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 been 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.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

21. Hewers of wood. According to vs. 23 and 27, this service was to be for the congregation and for the house of God. Such laborers were reckoned among the lowest class of people (Deut. 29:10, 11), and these services were to be performed by the strangers among them. The assignment of these menial tasks constituted the punishment of the Gibeonites. Had they dealt honestly with Israel, their lives would still have been spared, and they would probably have been exempted from servitude. Yet even a curse may be turned into a blessing. They were servants, it is true, but their service was for the house of God. By doing the work of the house of the Lord, they would be in a position where they could readily learn of the true God. They were thus placed under an influence that would prevent their returning to the idolatry of their fathers. Though bondmen to Israel, they would be freemen of the Lord, for in His service the lowest office is liberty, and His work is its own wages. Some have thought that the “Nethinims” of Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 2:70; 8:20; Neh. 7:60) were the Gibeonites, inasmuch as the Nethinim were the temple servants. The Heb. nethinim means “given ones” or “devoted ones”; this lends some support to their possible identity with the Gibeonites. That the Gibeonites existed as such in the time of David is evident from the circumstance mentioned in 2 Sam. 21:1-9. However, it is possible that Saul’s misguided zeal all but annihilated them, and that David replaced them with a new orderâ€”the Nethinim of Nehemiah’s day.

chapter 10

1 Five kings war against Gibeon. 6 Joshua rescueth it. 10 God fighteth against them with hailstones. 12 The sun and moon stand still at the word of Joshua. 16 The five kings are mured in a cave. 23 They are brought forth, 24 scornfully used, 26 and hanged. 28 Seven kings more are conquered. 43 Joshua returneth to Gilgal.

1. Adoni-zedec. Literally, “my lord is righteousness.”

Jerusalem. The first occurrence of this name in the OT. Opinions differ as to the origin of the name. It is generally conceded that the last part of the word means “peace” (see Heb. 7:2). The first part may come either from a word meaning “inheritance” or from a word meaning “settlement,” the basic ideas of which are similar. There is little doubt that the Jerusalem of Joshua’s time is identical with Jerusalem of today. Egyptian texts as early as the 19th and 18th centuries mention the city. Its existence at that time is confirmed by archeology.

The Amarna Letters, dating from the 14th century b.c., near the time of the conquest of Canaan by Israel, mention a city of Palestine by the name of Urusalim, “city of peace.” This is its name in later Assyrian records. Rabbinical sources claim the word is derived from the name Abraham gave to Mt. Moriah, the place where he offered up his son, plus the name Salem of Gen. 14:18. Mt. Moriah later became the site of the temple Solomon built (Sam. 24:18-25; 2 Chron. 3:1). From the story recorded in Gen. 22 it seems that there was no city on Mt. Moriah in Abraham’s day, but only on the neighboring hills (see PP 703). Abraham called the place Jehovah-jireh (Gen. 22:14). “Jehovah will provide.” Moriah has been held by some to be derived from the same root and to signify “vision of Jehovah.” According to rabbinical interpretation, the name Jerusalem would be a combination of Jireh and Salem.

Another of Jerusalem’s ancient names was Jebusi or Jebus (Joshua 18:16, 28; Judges 19:10, 11). The Jebusites dwelt there in the time of the judges, and the city was not taken from them until the time of David.

Were among them. The LXX reads, “had changed sides.” The Gibeonites’ transfer of allegiance precipitated upon them the bitterest hatred of their former friends. Their decision made, the Gibeonites seem ever after to have remained loyal to Israel and the true God. This fact implies that though their method of securing the friendship of Israel was questionable, they were, nevertheless, sincere to the extent of the light they had.

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Ellen G. White
Prophets and Kings, 369

The marvelous providences connected with Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage and with their occupancy of the Promised Land led many of the heathen to recognize the God of Israel as the Supreme Ruler. “The Egyptians shall know,” had been the promise, “that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth Mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” Exodus 7:5. Even proud Pharaoh was constrained to acknowledge Jehovah's power. “Go, serve the Lord,” he urged Moses and Aaron, “and bless me also.” Exodus 12:31, 32. PK 369.1

The advancing hosts of Israel found that knowledge of the mighty workings of the God of the Hebrews had gone before them, and that some among the heathen were learning that He alone was the true God. In wicked Jericho the testimony of a heathen woman was, “The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.” Joshua 2:11. The knowledge of Jehovah that had thus come to her, proved her salvation. By faith “Rahab perished not with them that believed not.” Hebrews 11:31. And her conversion was not an isolated case of God's mercy toward idolaters who acknowledged His divine authority. In the midst of the land a numerous people—the Gibeonites—renounced their heathenism and united with Israel, sharing in the blessings of the covenant. PK 369.2

No distinction on account of nationality, race, or caste, is recognized by God. He is the Maker of all mankind. All men are of one family by creation, and all are one through redemption. Christ came to demolish every wall of partition, to throw open every compartment of the temple courts, that every soul may have free access to God. His love is so broad, so deep, so full, that it penetrates everywhere. It lifts out of Satan's influence those who have been deluded by his deceptions, and places them within reach of the throne of God, the throne encircled by the rainbow of promise. In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free. PK 369.3

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Ellen G. White
The Upward Look, 128.6

The Lord's workers must not think that they must be their own judges of the position they should fill. Let all remember that there are many different lines of work, and that all these lines of work are necessary. The hewers of wood and drawers of water do acceptable service, and make a success where others would certainly make a failure.... UL 128.6

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Cross References

let them

The Conquest by Joshua

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Joshua 9:21