Joshua 10:6

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) The Amorites that dwell in the mountains—i.e., in the mountainous district lying on the south of Jerusalem.

Benson Commentary

Joshua 10:6-7. Slack not thy hand from thy servants — Do not neglect or delay to help us, whom thou art obliged to protect both in duty, as thou art our master, and for thy own interest, we being part of thy possessions; and because we have given ourselves to thee, and put ourselves under thy protection. In the mountains — In the mountainous country. So Joshua ascended — Having no doubt asked counsel of God first, which is implied in the answer God gives him, Joshua 10:8. All the mighty men — That is, an army of the most valiant men picked out from the rest: for it is not probable either that he would take the whole army with him, consisting of so many hundreds of thousands, who would only have embarrassed and hindered one another, or that he would leave the camp without an army to defend it.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:1-6 When sinners leave the service of Satan and the friendship of the world, that they make peace with God and join Israel, they must not marvel if the world hate them, if their former friends become foes. By such methods Satan discourages many who are convinced of their danger, and almost persuaded to be Christians, but fear the cross. These things should quicken us to apply to God for protection, help, and deliverance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The language reflects the urgency of the crisis. Accordingly Joshua made a forced march, accompanied only by his soldiers Joshua 10:7, and accomplished in a single night the distance from Gilgal to Gibeon (about 15 miles in a direct line), which on a former occasion had been a three days' journey Joshua 9:17.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Jos 10:6-9. Joshua Rescues It.

6-8. the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua—Their appeal was urgent and their claim to protection irresistible, on the ground, not only of kindness and sympathy, but of justice. In attacking the Canaanites, Joshua had received from God a general assurance of success (Jos 1:5). But the intelligence of so formidable a combination among the native princes seems to have depressed his mind with the anxious and dispiriting idea that it was a chastisement for the hasty and inconsiderate alliance entered into with the Gibeonites. It was evidently to be a struggle of life and death, not only to Gibeon, but to the Israelites. And in this view the divine communication that was made to him was seasonable and animating. He seems to have asked the counsel of God and received an answer, before setting out on the expedition.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The men of Gibeon sent, or, had sent, when their enemies were drawn towards them, which they could easily learn. Slack not thy hand; do not neglect nor delay to help us. From thy servants, whom thou art obliged to protect both in duty, as thou art our master and ruler; and by thy own interest, we being part of thy possessions; and in ingenuity, because we have given ourselves to thee, and put ourselves under thy protection.

In the mountains; in the mountainous country.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,.... Which some think they did when besieged, and not before, which showed their faith in the power of God, whom they now professed; but it is not likely that they should defer sending for help so long, since it is reasonable to suppose they might have heard of the design of the five kings against them; or that they should be able to send out messengers when surrounded on all sides; it may be better therefore to render the words, "had sent" (m), which they did as soon as they heard of the preparations made by the five kings to war with them, and of their rendezvous at Jerusalem, and especially as soon as they had information of their march towards them:

saying, slack not thine hands from thy servants; they entreat that he would not neglect them, be indifferent to them, and delay to assist them, since they were his subjects; and were entitled to his protection:

come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us; they did not doubt, if he made haste and helped them, but they should be saved by him:

for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. Jerusalem lay among mountains, and Hebron was in the hill country in Judea, see Psalm 125:2; and the other cities were doubtless in a like situation.

(m) "sed miserant", Piscator; so Pool and Patrick.

Geneva Study Bible

And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. Slack not thy hand] The climax in the message is very noticeable; (1) slack not thy hand; (2) come up to us quickly; (3) save us; (4) help us. Compare the prayer of the persecuted Christians (Acts 4:24-30).

Slack = “slacken,” “relax;” A. S. slæcan from the adjective slæc. It occurs in an intransitive sense in Deuteronomy 23:21, “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it.” Comp. Latimer, Serm. p. 231, “What a remorse of conscience shall ye have, when ye remember how ye have slacked your duty.”

all the kings of the Amorites] This is a common designation of the five chiefs. Their march had evidently been very rapid, and the danger was urgent.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - To Gilgal. See note on Joshua 9:6. That dwell in the mountains. Another life like touch. The details of the confederacy were not fully known to the Gibeonites. There had not been time for that. It was only known that the storm was to break on them from the mountain region, Jerusalem (ver. 4) being the head quarters of the expedition. As a matter of fact, the kings who formed the confederacy principally inhabited the lowlands, as we have seen. No one could have hit upon this apparent contradiction yet real agreement but one whose narrative was compiled from authentic sources. Joshua 10:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The Gibeonites then sent to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and entreated him to come to his help as speedily as possible. "Slack not thy hand from thy servants," i.e., withhold not thy help from us. The definition appended to "the kings of the Amorites" ("that dwelt in the mountains") is to be understood a potiori, and does not warrant us in drawing the conclusion, that all the towns mentioned in Joshua 10:3 were in the mountains of Judah. The Amorites who dwelt in the mountains were the strongest of all the Canaanites.