Joshua 9:20 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ver. 20. This we will do to them, &c.— "That we may not draw down upon us the wrath of God, by the violation of our oath, though rashly made; this is what we may now do with the Gibeonites. Let their lives be spared, but let them be reduced to the servile occupations of hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, them, and their children after them, for ever." The expression, all the congregation, is explained in ver. 23 to be the house of God. Thus then the Gibeonites were condemned to fetch all the water and wood necessary for the sacrifices, purifications, holy feastings, and, without exception, for whatever the service of the sanctuary required; a mean and toilsome occupation, (see Deuteronomy 29:11.) which indicated a real slavery; and which, doubtless, they filled up by turns, in the same manner as the Levites discharged their functions. The Romans observed the same conduct as Joshua's towards the Brutians, a people who at that time possessed what is now called Calabria; and to punish whom for having quitted their alliance, and taken part with Hannibal, they condemned them to serve always as couriers to all the magistrates and officers whom they sent into the provinces dependent on the republic. See Strabo, lib. 5: Some learned men are of opinion, that the Gibeonites were afterwards called Nethinims; i.e. people given, as it were, to the service of God. Note; How great the mercy shewn unto the sinner, if but his life were given him for a prey; but how much greater, when his lot is assigned him in the temple of God, and the perfect freedom of God's service becomes his happy portion.