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.
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.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
