Joshua 9
9
Guile of the Gibeonites
1Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2that they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.
3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended, 5and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6They went to Joshua 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 covenant with us.” 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall we make a covenant with you?” 8But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10and 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. 11So 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, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.” ’ 12This our bread 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. 13These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord. 15Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living within their land. 17Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20This 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.” 21The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.
22Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you are living within our land? 23Now therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24So they answered Joshua and said, “Because it was certainly told 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; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” 26Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He would choose.
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Joshua 9: NASB1995
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Yehoshua 9
9
1And 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#9:1 i.e., the Mediterranean over against the Levanon, the Chitti, and HaEmori, the Kena'ani, the Perizzi, the Chivi, and the Yevusi, heard thereof;
2That they gathered themselves together, to make war with Yehoshua and with Yisroel, with one peh (mouth).#9:2 i.e., one accord
3And when the inhabitants of Giv'on heard what Yehoshua had done unto Yericho and to Ai,
4They did work in a cunning, crafty manner,#9:4 See Gn 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;
5And 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.
6And 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.
7And the Ish Yisroel said unto the Chivi (Hivites), Perhaps ye dwell among us; how then shall we cut a brit with you?
8And they said unto Yehoshua, We are thy avadim. And Yehoshua said unto them, Who are ye? And from where do ye come?
9And 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,
10And 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.
11Therefore 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.
12This 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;
13And 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.
14And the anashim took of their food supplies, and asked not counsel at the pi Hashem (mouth of Hashem).
15And 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.
16And 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.
17And 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.
18And 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.
19But all the Nasi'im said unto Kol HaEdah, We have sworn unto them by Hashem Elohei Yisroel; now therefore we may not touch them.
20This 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.
21And 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.
22And 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?
23Now 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.
24And 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.
25And now, behold, we are in thine yad; as it seemeth tov and yashar unto thee to do unto us, do.
26And so did he unto them, and saved them out of the yad of the Bnei Yisroel, that they slaughtered them not.
27And 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.
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