Joshua 9
International Children’s Bible
The Gibeonite Trickery
9 All the kings west of the Jordan River heard about these things. These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. They lived in the mountains and on the western mountain slopes. They also lived along the whole Mediterranean Sea coast. 2 All these kings gathered to fight Joshua and the Israelites.
3 The people of Gibeon heard how Joshua had defeated Jericho and Ai. 4 So they decided to trick the Israelites. They gathered old leather wine bags that were cracked and mended. They put them on the backs of their donkeys. They also put old sacks on their donkeys. 5 The men put old sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. They took some dry, moldy bread. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp near Gilgal.
The men spoke to Joshua and the men of Israel. They said, “We have traveled from a faraway country. Make a peace agreement with us.”
7 The men of Israel said to these Hivites, “Maybe you live near us. How can we make a peace agreement with you?”
8 The Hivites said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”
But Joshua asked, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9 The men answered, “We are your servants. We have come from a far country. We came because we heard of the fame of the Lord your God. We heard about what he has done. We heard about everything he did in Egypt. 10 We heard that he defeated the two kings of the Amorites. They were from the east side of the Jordan River: Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan who was king in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and our people spoke to us. They said, ‘Take food for your journey. Go and meet the Israelites. Tell them, “We are your servants. Make a peace agreement with us.”’
12 “Look at our bread. When we left home it was warm and fresh. But now it is dry and moldy. 13 Look at our leather winebags. When we left home they were new and filled with wine. Now they are cracked and old. Look at our clothes and sandals. The long journey has almost destroyed them.”
14 The men of Israel tasted the bread. But they did not ask the Lord what to do. 15 So Joshua agreed to make peace with the Gibeonites. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of the Israelites made a promise to keep the agreement.
16 Three days later the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby. 17 So the Israelites went to where they lived. On the third day the Israelites came to their cities. The cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack those cities. They had made a promise to them before the Lord, the God of Israel.
All the Israelites grumbled against the leaders who had made the agreement. 19 But the leaders answered, “We have given our promise before the Lord, the God of Israel. We cannot attack them now. 20 This is what we must do. We must let them live. We cannot hurt them, or God’s anger will be against us. We would be breaking the promise we made to them. 21 So let them live. But they will cut wood and carry water for our people.” So the leaders kept their promise of peace to them.
22 Joshua called for the Gibeonites. He said, “Why did you lie to us? Your land was near our camp. But you told us you were from a far country. 23 Now, you will be placed under a curse. You will be our slaves. You will have to cut wood and carry water for the people of the house of God.”
24 The Gibeonites answered Joshua, “We lied to you because we were afraid you would kill us. We heard that God commanded his servant Moses to give you all of this land. And God told you to kill all the people who lived in the land. That is why we did this. 25 Now you can decide what to do with us. You can do anything to us that you think is right.”
26 So Joshua saved their lives. He did not allow the Israelites to kill them. 27 But Joshua made the Gibeonites slaves to the Israelites. They cut wood and carried water for the Israelites. And they did it for the altar of the Lord—wherever he chose it to be. They are still doing this today.
约书亚记 9
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
迦南諸王聯盟對抗以色列人
9 在約旦河西，住在山上、高原和對著黎巴嫩山大海沿岸所有的王，就是赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的王，聽見了這些事的時候， 2 就聚集起來，同心協力地要與約書亞和以色列人交戰。
基遍人計騙約書亞
3 基遍的居民聽見了約書亞向耶利哥和艾城所行的事， 4 就施詭計，假冒使者而來，把舊的布袋和破裂又修補過的舊皮酒袋馱在驢上， 5 腳上穿著補過的舊鞋，身穿舊衣服，所帶的食物又乾又碎。 6 他們去到吉甲營中約書亞那裡，對約書亞和以色列人說：“我們是從遠地來的，現在求你們和我們立約。” 7 以色列人對這些希未人說：“你們也許是這地的居民，若是這樣，我們怎樣和你們立約呢？” 8 他們對約書亞說：“我們是你的僕人。”約書亞問他們：“你們是甚麼人？是從哪裡來的？” 9 他們回答約書亞：“你的僕人為了耶和華你 神的名從很遠的地方而來，因為我們聽見了他的名聲和他在埃及所行的一切事， 10 以及他對約旦河東亞摩利人的兩個王，就是希實本王西宏和在亞斯他錄的巴珊王噩，所行的一切事。 11 所以我們的長老和我們本國所有的居民對我們說：‘你們手裡要帶著旅途用的乾糧，去迎見以色列人，對他們說：我們是你們的僕人，現在求你們和我們立約。’ 12 我們出門到你們這裡來的時候，從家裡帶出來作乾糧的這餅還是熱的；看哪，現在都又乾又碎了。 13 這些皮酒袋，我們盛酒的時候，還是新的；你看，現在都破裂了。我們這些衣服和鞋因路途遙遠，都穿舊了。” 14 以色列人取了他們一些食物，卻沒有求問耶和華的旨意。 15 於是約書亞與他們議和，和他們立約，容他們存活；會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。
約書亞指派基遍人劈柴打水
16 以色列人和他們立約之後，過了三天，才聽見他們是自己的近鄰，是住在這地的居民。 17 於是，以色列人起程，第三日就到了他們的城市；他們的城市就是基遍、基非拉、比錄、基列．耶琳。 18 以色列人沒有擊殺他們，因為會眾的首領曾經指著耶和華以色列的 神向他們起了誓，全體會眾就都向首領發怨言。 19 眾首領對全體會眾說：“我們曾經指著耶和華以色列的 神向他們起了誓，現在我們不能傷害他們。 20 我們要這樣待他們，就是容他們存活，免得 神的忿怒因我們向他們所起的誓，臨到我們身上。” 21 眾首領又對會眾說：“要讓他們存活。”於是他們就給全體會眾作了劈柴打水的人，這是按照眾首領對他們的吩咐。 22 約書亞把他們召了來，質問他們：“你們為甚麼欺騙我們說：‘我們離你們很遠’，其實你們卻是住在這地的？ 23 現在你們要受到咒詛，你們中間必不斷有人作奴僕，為我 神的聖所作劈柴打水的人。” 24 他們回答約書亞，說：“因為你的僕人確實地聽見，耶和華你的 神曾經吩咐他的僕人摩西，要把這整片土地賜給你們，並且要在你們面前把這地上所有的居民都消滅，因此，我們因你們的緣故，很怕喪命，才行了這事。 25 現在，你看，我們都在你的手裡，你看怎樣處置我們算為好、算為對，就怎樣行吧。” 26 約書亞就這樣處置他們，救了他們脫離以色列人的手，以色列人就沒有殺他們。 27 在那一天，約書亞指派他們在耶和華選擇的地方，為會眾和耶和華的祭壇作劈柴打水的人，直到今日。
Joshua 9
Tree of Life Version
Gibeonites Connive a Treaty
9 Now when all the kings who were west of the Jordan, in the hill country, in the lowland and along the shore of the Great Sea to the vicinity of Lebanon—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—heard about it, 2 they gathered themselves together as a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they acted craftily. They went and traveled as ambassadors, took worn-out sacks for their donkeys and worn-out wine skins, cracked and patched up, 5 along with worn-out, patched up sandals on their feet and worn-out clothes on them. All the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbly. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. So now, make a treaty-covenant with us.”
7 Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites: “Perhaps you are living among us. How then should we make a covenant with you?”
8 But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”
Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9 So they replied to him: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the Name of Adonai your God. For we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to King Sihon of Heshbon and to King Og of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, go to meet them and say to them: “We will be your subjects, so now make a treaty-covenant with us.’” 12 This is our bread, which was hot when we took it for our provision from our homes on the day we left to come to you, but now behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 And these wineskins, which we were new when we filled them, but now see, they are cracked. Also these our garments and our sandals are worn-out because of the very long journey.”
14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not seek counsel from Adonai’s mouth. 15 So Joshua made peace with them and cut a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore to them.
16 But it came about at the end of three days after they had cut a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and were living among them. 17 So Bnei-Yisrael journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But Bnei-Yisrael did not strike them, because the leaders of the community had sworn to them by Adonai, God of Israel. Then the entire community murmured against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered the entire community, “We have sworn to them by Adonai, God of Israel, so now we cannot touch them. 20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 “Yes, let them live,” the leaders said further, “but let them chop wood and draw water for the entire community.” So the leaders decreed concerning them.
22 Then Joshua summoned them and he spoke to them saying: “Why have you deceived us saying: ‘We are very far from you,’ when you are living among us? 23 Now therefore, you are cursed, and you will never cease to be servants, wood-choppers and water-carriers for the House of my God.”
24 So they answered Joshua and said: “It was because your servants were clearly told that Adonai your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. So we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and so we did this. 25 Now behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your eyes to do to us, do.”
26 Thus he did to them, delivering them from the hand of Bnei-Yisrael, so they did not slay them. 27 On that day Joshua made them wood-choppers and water-carriers for the community, and for the altar of Adonai in the place which He would choose. So it is to this day.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.