Joshua 9
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Deception by Gibeon
9 When all the kings heard about Jericho and Ai, those who were west of the Jordan in the hill country,(A) in the Judean foothills,[a] and all along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea(B) towards Lebanon – the Hethites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites – 2 they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,(C) 4 they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions[b] and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. 6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, ‘We have come from a distant land. Please make a treaty with us.’(D)
7 The men of Israel replied to the Hivites, ‘Perhaps you live among us. How can we make a treaty with you? ’(E)
8 They said to Joshua, ‘We are your servants.’(F)
Then Joshua asked them, ‘Who are you and where do you come from? ’
9 They replied to him, ‘Your servants have come from a faraway land because of the reputation of the Lord your God. For we have heard of his fame, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, “Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, ‘We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ ” 12 This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you; but see, it is now dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them; but see, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey.’ 14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the Lord’s decision.(G) 15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.(H)
Gibeon’s Deception Discovered
16 Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbours, living among them. 17 So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.(I) 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath(J) to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders.
19 All the leaders answered them, ‘We have sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This is how we will treat them: we will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.’ 21 They also said, ‘Let them live.’ So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water-carriers(K) for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them.
22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, ‘Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? 23 Therefore you are cursed and will always be slaves – woodcutters and water-carriers for the house of my God.’
24 The Gibeonites answered him, ‘It was clearly communicated to your servants that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. We greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.(L) 25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right.’(M) 26 This is what Joshua did to them: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water-carriers – as they are today – for the community and for the Lord’s altar at the place he would choose.(N)
Joshua 9
New King James Version
The Treaty with the Gibeonites
9 And it came to pass when (A)all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of (B)the Great Sea toward Lebanon—(C)the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it, 2 that they (D)gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one [a]accord.
3 But when the inhabitants of (E)Gibeon (F)heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they worked craftily, and went and [b]pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and [c]mended, 5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 And they went to Joshua, (G)to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a [d]covenant with us.”
7 Then the men of Israel said to the (H)Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so (I)how can we make a covenant with you?”
8 But they said to Joshua, (J)“We are your servants.”
And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”
9 So they said to him: (K)“From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have (L)heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and (M)all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ 12 This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; (N)but they [e]did not ask counsel of the Lord. 15 So Joshua (O)made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.
16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. 17 Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (P)Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim. 18 But the children of Israel did not [f]attack them, (Q)because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.
19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest (R)wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be (S)woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had (T)promised them.”
22 Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, (U)‘We are very far from you,’ when (V)you dwell near us? 23 Now therefore, you are (W)cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24 So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God (X)commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore (Y)we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 And now, here we are, (Z)in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” 26 So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. 27 And that day Joshua made them (AA)woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, (AB)in the place which He would choose, even to this day.
Footnotes
- Joshua 9:2 Lit. mouth
- Joshua 9:4 acted as envoys
- Joshua 9:4 Lit. tied up
- Joshua 9:6 treaty
- Joshua 9:14 Lit. did not inquire at the mouth of
- Joshua 9:18 strike
约书亚记 9
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
迦南诸王联盟对抗以色列人
9 在约旦河西，住在山上、高原和对着黎巴嫩山大海沿岸所有的王，就是赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的王，听见了这些事的时候， 2 就聚集起来，同心协力地要与约书亚和以色列人交战。
基遍人计骗约书亚
3 基遍的居民听见了约书亚向耶利哥和艾城所行的事， 4 就施诡计，假冒使者而来，把旧的布袋和破裂又修补过的旧皮酒袋驮在驴上， 5 脚上穿著补过的旧鞋，身穿旧衣服，所带的食物又干又碎。 6 他们去到吉甲营中约书亚那里，对约书亚和以色列人说：“我们是从远地来的，现在求你们和我们立约。” 7 以色列人对这些希未人说：“你们也许是这地的居民，若是这样，我们怎样和你们立约呢？” 8 他们对约书亚说：“我们是你的仆人。”约书亚问他们：“你们是甚么人？是从哪里来的？” 9 他们回答约书亚：“你的仆人为了耶和华你 神的名从很远的地方而来，因为我们听见了他的名声和他在埃及所行的一切事， 10 以及他对约旦河东亚摩利人的两个王，就是希实本王西宏和在亚斯他录的巴珊王噩，所行的一切事。 11 所以我们的长老和我们本国所有的居民对我们说：‘你们手里要带着旅途用的干粮，去迎见以色列人，对他们说：我们是你们的仆人，现在求你们和我们立约。’ 12 我们出门到你们这里来的时候，从家里带出来作干粮的这饼还是热的；看哪，现在都又干又碎了。 13 这些皮酒袋，我们盛酒的时候，还是新的；你看，现在都破裂了。我们这些衣服和鞋因路途遥远，都穿旧了。” 14 以色列人取了他们一些食物，却没有求问耶和华的旨意。 15 于是约书亚与他们议和，和他们立约，容他们存活；会众的首领也向他们起了誓。
约书亚指派基遍人劈柴打水
16 以色列人和他们立约之后，过了三天，才听见他们是自己的近邻，是住在这地的居民。 17 于是，以色列人起程，第三日就到了他们的城市；他们的城市就是基遍、基非拉、比录、基列．耶琳。 18 以色列人没有击杀他们，因为会众的首领曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓，全体会众就都向首领发怨言。 19 众首领对全体会众说：“我们曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓，现在我们不能伤害他们。 20 我们要这样待他们，就是容他们存活，免得 神的忿怒因我们向他们所起的誓，临到我们身上。” 21 众首领又对会众说：“要让他们存活。”于是他们就给全体会众作了劈柴打水的人，这是按照众首领对他们的吩咐。 22 约书亚把他们召了来，质问他们：“你们为甚么欺骗我们说：‘我们离你们很远’，其实你们却是住在这地的？ 23 现在你们要受到咒诅，你们中间必不断有人作奴仆，为我 神的圣所作劈柴打水的人。” 24 他们回答约书亚，说：“因为你的仆人确实地听见，耶和华你的 神曾经吩咐他的仆人摩西，要把这整片土地赐给你们，并且要在你们面前把这地上所有的居民都消灭，因此，我们因你们的缘故，很怕丧命，才行了这事。 25 现在，你看，我们都在你的手里，你看怎样处置我们算为好、算为对，就怎样行吧。” 26 约书亚就这样处置他们，救了他们脱离以色列人的手，以色列人就没有杀他们。 27 在那一天，约书亚指派他们在耶和华选择的地方，为会众和耶和华的祭坛作劈柴打水的人，直到今日。
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.