Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 20:11
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people [that is] found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
11. tributary ] Heb. la-mas. Mas means a body of forced labourers, e.g. of Israelites in Egypt, Exo 1:11, or of Solomon’s levies for work in Lebanon and upon his buildings, 1Ki 5:13 (27), Deu 9:15; but frequently of the Canaanite peoples surviving among Israel, J, Jos 16:10; Jos 17:13, Jdg 1:30; Jdg 1:33; Jdg 1:35; while both J and P say that the Gibeonites who were admitted to league with Israel upon their statement that they had come from a distance, were, on the discovery of their fraud, condemned to be hewers of wood and drawers of water. Such forced labour was recognised as the natural fate of the defeated, Isa 31:8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By their purses, and by their labours too, as appears from 1Ki 9:15; 2Ch 8:7,8
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace,…. Comply with the terms of peace offered:
and open unto thee; the gates of the city and its garrisons, and deliver all into their hands:
then it shall be that all the people that is found therein; some having made their escape before the surrender of the city:
shall be tributaries unto thee: pay a yearly tax imposed upon them, as the Moabites sometimes did, and which was paid in lambs and rams with the wool, 2Ki 3:4
and they shall serve thee; not as slaves, or be in continual bondage and servitude; but upon occasion be called out to any public service, as joining them against their enemies, rebuilding palaces and cities, or repairing walls of cities, and the like; and in general acknowledge their dominion over them, and their own subjection to them, by paying an annual tribute, or sending gifts unto them; thus the Moabites, Syrians, and Edomites, became the servants of David, 2Sa 8:2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. If answer of peace, tributaries If the city opened its gates and peacefully surrendered, all the inhabitants were to be spared, but they were to be tributaries of the Israelites.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 11. If it make thee answer of peace i.e. Accept of the conditions offered to them, which, we are told, were three: first, that they should renounce idolatry; secondly, become subjects to the Jews; and thirdly, pay them an annual tribute. See Selden de Jure N. & G. lib. 6: cap. 14. It is thought by some eminent critics, (Calmet, Le Clerc, Poole, &c.) that this offer could not be made to the devoted nations of Canaan. But Maimonides and many of the Jewish writers are of the contrary opinion; and assert, that Joshua sent three deputations to the people of Canaan, two with offers of peace, the third with a declaration of war. See Maimonides, as quoted by Cunaeus, de Rep. Heb. lib. 2: cap. 20.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Deu 20:11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people [that is] found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
Ver. 11. And open unto thee. ] As Tournay in France did to our Henry VIII, with ten thousand pound sterling for the citizens’ redemption; yet was it ever till then counted so invincible, that this sentence was engraven over one of the gates, Iannes ton me a perda ton pucellage, thou hast never lost thy maidenhead. a
a Speed’s Hist of Engl., 1001.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
tributaries: Lev 25:42-46, Jos 9:22, Jos 9:23, Jos 9:27, Jos 11:19, Jos 11:20, Jos 16:10, Jdg 1:28, Jdg 1:30-35, 1Ki 9:21, 1Ki 9:22, Psa 120:7, Luk 19:14
Reciprocal: Deu 2:26 – with words Deu 7:2 – make no Jos 9:6 – We be Jos 9:8 – General Jos 9:15 – made peace Jos 17:13 – put the Jdg 11:12 – sent messengers 2Sa 20:18 – They were wont 2Ki 6:22 – wouldest
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
20:11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of {e} peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, [that] all the people [that is] found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
(e) If it accept peace.