Joshua 9
English Standard Version
The Gibeonite Deception
9 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan (A)in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast (B)of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, (C)the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, 2 they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3 But when the inhabitants of (D)Gibeon heard what Joshua had done (E)to Jericho and (F)to Ai, 4 they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, 5 with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. 6 And they went to Joshua in (G)the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to (H)the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then (I)how can we make a covenant with you?” 8 They said to Joshua, (J)“We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, (K)“From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. (L)For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 (M)and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in (N)Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but (O)did not ask counsel from the Lord. 15 And Joshua (P)made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.
16 At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors (Q)and that they lived among them. 17 And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. (R)Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them: let them live, lest (S)wrath be upon us, (T)because of the oath that we swore to them.” 21 And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became (U)cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders (V)had said of them.
22 Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, (W)‘We are very far from you,’ when (X)you dwell among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, (Y)cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had (Z)commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so (AA)we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” 26 So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day (AB)cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, (AC)in the place that he should choose.
Yehoshua 9
Orthodox Jewish Bible
9 And it came to pass, when kol hamelachim which were beyond the Yarden, in the har, and in the Shefelah, and in all the coasts of the Yam Hagadol [i.e., the Mediterranean] over against the Levanon, the Chitti, and HaEmori, the Kena’ani, the Perizzi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi, heard thereof;
2 That they gathered themselves together, to make war with Yehoshua and with Yisroel, with one peh (mouth, i.e., one accord).
3 And when the inhabitants of Giv’on heard what Yehoshua had done unto Yericho and to Ai,
4 They did work in a cunning, crafty manner [see Genesis 3:1], and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sakkim (sacks) upon their donkeys, and skins of yayin, old, and cracked, and mended;
5 And sandals old and patched upon their feet, and selamot ballot (old garments) upon them; and all the lechem of their food supply was dry and moldy.
6 And they went to Yehoshua unto the machaneh at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the Ish Yisroel, We are come from an eretz rechokah (far country); now therefore cut ye a brit with us.
7 And the Ish Yisroel said unto the Chivi (Hivites), Perhaps ye dwell among us; how then shall we cut a brit with you?
8 And they said unto Yehoshua, We are thy avadim. And Yehoshua said unto them, Who are ye? And from where do ye come?
9 And they said unto him, From an eretz rechokah me’od thy avadim are come because of the Shem of Hashem Eloheicha; for we have heard the report of Him, and all that He did in Mitzrayim,
10 And all that He did to the two melachim of HaEmori, that were beyond the Yarden, to Sichon Melech Cheshbon, and to Og Melech HaBashan, which was at Ashtarot.
11 Therefore Zekeinenu and all the inhabitants of Artzeinu spoke to us, saying, Take food supplies with you for the derech, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your avadim; therefore now cut ye a brit with us.
12 This our lechem we packed cham (hot) for our provision out of our batim (houses) on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, hinei, it is dry, and it is moldy;
13 And these skins of yayin, which we filled, were chadashim; and, hinei, they are cracked; and these our garments and our sandals are become worn out by reason of the derech me’od.
14 And the anashim took of their food supplies, and asked not counsel at the pi Hashem (mouth of Hashem).
15 And Yehoshua made shalom with them, and cut a brit with them, to let them live; and the Nasi’im of the Edah so ratified by oath unto them.
16 And it came to pass at the end of shloshet yamim after they had cut a brit with them, that they heard that they were their kerovim (neighbors), and that they dwelt near them.
17 And the Bnei Yisroel journeyed, and came unto their towns on the yom hashelishi. Now their towns were Giv’on, and Kephirah, and Be’erot, and Kiryat-Ye’arim.
18 And the Bnei Yisroel did not strike them down, because the Nasi’im of the Edah had sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel. And Kol HaEdah murmured against the Nasi’im.
19 But all the Nasi’im said unto Kol HaEdah, We have sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel; now therefore we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest ketzef (wrath) be upon us, because of the shevu’ah (oath) which we swore unto them.
21 And the Nasi’im said unto them, Let them live; but let them be woodcutters and water carriers unto Kol HaEdah; as the Nasi’im had promised them.
22 And Yehoshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Why have ye beguiled us, saying, Rechokim anachnu from you when ye dwell near us?
23 Now therefore ye are arurim, and there shall none of you be yikaret (be cut off) from being eved, and woodcutters and water carriers for the Bais Elohai.
24 And they answered Yehoshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy avadim, how that Hashem Eloheicha commanded His Eved Moshe to give you kol HaAretz, and to destroy all the inhabitants of HaAretz from before you, therefore we were greatly afraid for nafshoteinu because of you, so we have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in thine yad; as it seemeth tov and yashar unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 And so did he unto them, and saved them out of the yad of the Bnei Yisroel, that they slaughtered them not.
27 And Yehoshua made them that day woodcutters and water carriers for the Edah, and for the Mizbe’ach of Hashem, even unto this day, in the makom which He would choose.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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