Joshua 9
9
The Gibeonites Deceive Joshua
1The victories of Israel became known to all the kings west of the Jordan — in the hills, in the foothills, and all along the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as Lebanon; these were the kings of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 2They all came together and joined forces to fight against Joshua and the Israelites.
3But the people of Gibeon, who were Hivites, heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4and they decided to deceive him. They went and got some food and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins. 5They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. The bread they took with them was dry and mouldy. 6Then they went to the camp at Gilgal and said to Joshua and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant land. We want you to make a treaty with us.”
7 #
Ex 23.32; 34.12; Deut 7.2 But the Israelites said, “Why should we make a treaty with you? Maybe you live nearby.”
8They said to Joshua, “We are at your service.”
Joshua asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9Then they told him this story: “We have come from a very distant land, sir, because we have heard of the LORD your God. We have heard about everything that he did in Egypt 10#Num 21.21–35and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan: King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. 11Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a journey and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us. 12Look at our bread. When we left home with it and started out to meet you, it was still warm. But look! Now it is dry and mouldy. 13When we filled these wineskins, they were new, but look! They are torn. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long journey.”
14The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the LORD about it. 15Joshua made a treaty of friendship with the people of Gibeon and allowed them to live. The leaders of the community of Israel gave their solemn promise to keep the treaty.
16Three days after the treaty had been made, the Israelites learnt that these people did indeed live nearby. 17So the people of Israel started out and three days later arrived at the cities where these people lived: Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18But the Israelites could not kill them, because their leaders had made a solemn promise to them in the name of the LORD, Israel's God. All the people complained to the leaders about this, 19but they answered, “We have made our solemn promise to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. Now we cannot harm them. 20We must let them live because of our promise; if we don't, God will punish us. 21Let them live, but they will have to cut wood and carry water for us.” This was what the leaders suggested.
22Joshua ordered the people of Gibeon to be brought to him, and he asked them, “Why did you deceive us and tell us that you were from far away, when you live right here? 23Because you did this, God has condemned you. Your people will always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the sanctuary of my God.”
24They answered, “We did it, sir, because we learnt that it was really true that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to kill the people living in it as you advanced. We did it because we were terrified of you; we were in fear of our lives. 25Now we are in your power; do with us what you think is right.” 26So this is what Joshua did: he protected them and did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. 27But at the same time he made them slaves, to cut wood and carry water for the people of Israel and for the LORD's altar. To this day they have continued to do this work in the place where the LORD has chosen to be worshipped.
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Joshua 9: GNBDK
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Joshua 9
9
Gibeonites Connive a Treaty
1Now 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,
2they gathered themselves together as a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4they acted craftily. They went and traveled as ambassadors, took worn-out sacks for their donkeys and worn-out wine skins, cracked and patched up,
5along 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.
6Then 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.”
7Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites: “Perhaps you are living among us. How then should we make a covenant with you?”
8But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9So 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,
10and 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.’”
12This 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.
13And 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.”
14So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not seek counsel from Adonai’s mouth.
15So Joshua made peace with them and cut a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore to them.
16But 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.
17So Bnei-Yisrael journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18But 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,
19but all the leaders answered the entire community, “We have sworn to them by Adonai, God of Israel, so now we cannot touch them.
20This 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.
22Then 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?
23Now therefore, you are cursed, and you will never cease to be servants, wood-choppers and water-carriers for the House of my God.”
24So 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.
25Now behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your eyes to do to us, do.”
26Thus 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.
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