Add parallel Print Page Options

The Gibeonites Act Craftily

Now it happened when (A)all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the [a]Shephelah and on all the (B)coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, (C)the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, that they gathered themselves together with [b](D)one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

Now the inhabitants of (E)Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai. So they also acted craftily and went and traveled as envoys and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and [c]mended, and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was crumbled. And they went to Joshua to the (F)camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; so now, cut a covenant with us.” Then the men of Israel said to the (G)Hivites, “Perhaps you are living [d]within our land; (H)how then shall we cut a covenant with you?” But they said to Joshua, “(I)We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” They said to him, “Your servants have come from (J)a very far country because of the [e]fame of Yahweh your God; for (K)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 Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king 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, and go to meet them and say to them, “(L)We are your servants; now then, cut a covenant with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these clothes of ours and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but (M)they did not ask for the [f]command of Yahweh. 15 (N)And Joshua made peace with them and cut a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 Now it happened at the end of three days after they had cut a covenant with them, that they heard that they were near them and that they were living [g]nearly among them. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were (O)Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the sons of Israel did not strike them down because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 Then all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel, so now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” 21 So the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” Thus they became (P)hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ (Q)when you are living nearly in the midst of us? 23 So now, you are (R)cursed, and [h]you shall never be cut loose from being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “(S)Because it was certainly told to your slaves that Yahweh your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you and have done this thing. 25 So now, behold, (T)we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” 26 Thus he did to them and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, (U)in the place which He would choose.

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 9:1 Or lowland
  2. Joshua 9:2 Lit one mouth
  3. Joshua 9:4 Lit tied up
  4. Joshua 9:7 Lit among us
  5. Joshua 9:9 Or name
  6. Joshua 9:14 Lit mouth
  7. Joshua 9:16 Or in the midst of them
  8. Joshua 9:23 Lit a slave shall not be cut off from you

Niloko ng mga Taga-Gibeon ang mga Israelita

Narinig ng lahat ng hari sa kanluran ng Jordan ang pagtatagumpay ng mga Israelita. (Ito ay ang mga hari ng mga Heteo, Amoreo, Cananeo, Perezeo, Hiveo, at mga Jebuseo.) Nakatira sila sa mga kabundukan, kaburulan sa kanluran[a] at sa baybayin ng Dagat ng Mediteraneo hanggang sa Lebanon. Nagtipon silang lahat para makipaglaban kay Josue at sa Israel.

Pero nang marinig ng mga taga-Gibeon ang ginawa ni Josue sa Jerico at Ai, naghanap sila ng paraan para lokohin si Josue. Nagpadala sila ng mga tao kay Josue, ang mga asno nilaʼy may mga kargang lumang sako at mga sisidlang-balat ng alak na sira-sira at tagpi-tagpi. Nagsuot sila ng mga lumang damit at mga sandalyas na pudpod at tagpi-tagpi. Nagbaon sila ng matitigas at inaamag na mga tinapay. Pagkatapos, pumunta sila kay Josue sa kampo ng Israel sa Gilgal, at sinabi sa kanya at sa mga Israelita, “Pumunta kami rito galing sa malayong lugar para hilingin sa inyo na gumawa kayo ng kasunduan sa amin na hindi nʼyo gagalawin ang mga mamamayan namin.” Pero sumagot ang mga Israelita, “Baka taga-rito rin kayo malapit sa amin. Kaya hindi kami maaaring gumawa ng kasunduan sa inyo.” Nagmakaawa sila kay Josue, “Handa po kaming maging lingkod ninyo.” Nagtanong si Josue sa kanila, “Sino kayo at saan kayo nanggaling?” Sumagot sila, “Galing po kami sa napakalayong lugar. Pumunta kami rito dahil narinig namin ang tungkol sa Panginoon na inyong Dios. Nabalitaan din namin ang lahat ng kanyang ginawa sa Egipto, 10 at sa dalawang hari na Amoreo sa silangan ng Jordan na sina Haring Sihon ng Heshbon, at Haring Og ng Bashan na nakatira sa Ashtarot. 11 Kaya inutusan kami ng mga tagapamahala at mga kababayan namin na maghanda ng pagkain at pumunta rito, at makipagkita sa inyo para sabihin na handa kaming maglingkod sa inyo bastaʼt gumawa lang kayo ng kasunduan sa amin na hindi nʼyo kami gagalawin. 12 Tingnan nʼyo po ang tinapay namin, mainit pa ito pag-alis namin, pero ngayon matigas na at durug-durog pa. 13 Itong mga sisidlang-balat ay bago pa nang salinan namin ng alak, pero tingnan nʼyo po, sira-sira na ito. Ang mga damit at sandalyas namin ay naluma na dahil sa malayong paglalakbay.”

14 Naniwala at tinanggap ng mga Israelita ang mga ebidensya na dala nila, pero hindi sila nagtanong sa Panginoon tungkol dito. 15 Gumawa si Josue ng kasunduan sa kanila, na hindi niya sila gagalawin o kayaʼy papatayin. At nanumpa ang mga pinuno ng mga kapulungan ng Israel sa kasunduang ito.

16 Pagkalipas ng tatlong araw pagkatapos pagtibayin ang kasunduan, nabalitaan ng mga Israelita na malapit lang pala sa kanila ang tinitirhan ng mga taong iyon. 17 Kaya umalis ang mga Israelita, at matapos ang tatlong araw, nakarating sila sa mga lungsod na tinitirhan ng mga taong iyon. Itoʼy ang mga lungsod ng Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot at Kiriat Jearim. 18 Pero hindi sila nilusob ng mga Israelita dahil may sinumpaan silang kasunduan sa mga pinuno ng Israel sa pangalan ng Panginoon, ang Dios ng Israel.

Nagreklamo ang mga Israelita sa mga pinuno nila, 19 pero sumagot ang lahat ng pinuno, “May sinumpaan na tayo sa kanila sa pangalan ng Panginoon, ang Dios ng Israel, kaya ngayon ay hindi natin sila pwedeng galawin. 20 Ganito ang gagawin natin: Hindi natin sila papatayin dahil baka parusahan tayo ng Dios kapag sinira natin ang sumpaan natin sa kanila. 21 Pabayaan natin silang mabuhay, pero gawin natin silang tagapangahoy at tagaigib ng buong mamamayan.” At ganito nga ang nangyari sa mga taga-Gibeon ayon sa sinabi ng mga pinuno tungkol sa kanila.

22 Ipinatawag ni Josue ang mga taga-Gibeon at sinabi, “Bakit nʼyo kami niloko? Bakit nʼyo sinabing galing pa kayo sa malayong lugar pero taga-rito lang pala kayo malapit sa amin? 23 Dahil sa ginawa nʼyo, isusumpa kayo ng Dios: Mula ngayon, maglilingkod kayo bilang tagapangahoy at tagaigib para sa bahay ng aking Dios.” 24 Sumagot sila kay Josue, “Ginawa namin ito dahil natatakot po kami na baka patayin nʼyo kami. Dahil nabalitaan po namin na inutusan ng Panginoon na inyong Dios si Moises na kanyang lingkod, na ibigay sa inyo ang lupaing ito at patayin ang lahat ng nakatira rito. 25 Ngayon, nandito kami sa ilalim ng kapangyarihan nʼyo, kayo ang masusunod kung ano po ang dapat ninyong gawin sa amin.” 26 Hindi pinahintulutan ni Josue na patayin sila ng mga Israelita. 27 Pero ginawa niya silang mga tagapangahoy at tagaigib para sa mga Israelita at sa altar ng Panginoon. Hanggang ngayon, ginagawa nila ang gawaing ito sa lugar na pinili ng Panginoon kung saan siya sasambahin.

Footnotes

  1. 9:1 kaburulan sa kanluran: sa Hebreo, Shefela.