Joshua 9

Deception by the Gibeonites

1Now it cameH1961 aboutH1961 when 1allH3605 the kingsH4428 whoH834 were beyondH5676 the JordanH3383, in the hillH2022 countryH2022, the lowlandH8219, and on allH3605 the 2coastH2348 of the GreatH1419 SeaH3220 towardH413H4136 LebanonH3844, 3the HittiteH2850 and the AmoriteH567, the CanaaniteH3669, the PerizziteH6522, the HiviteH2340, and the JebusiteH2983, heardH8085 about it, 2that they metH6908 togetherH3164 with 4oneH259 5purposeH6310, to fightH3898 with JoshuaH3091 and with IsraelH3478.

3The inhabitantsH3427 of 6GibeonH1391 also heardH8085 whatH834 JoshuaH3091 had doneH6213 to JerichoH3405 and to AiH5857, 4but they on their partH1571 actedH6213 craftilyH6195 and wentH1980 and tookH6719 provisionsH6719 forH6719 aH6719 journeyH6719, and tookH3947 worn-outH1087 sacksH8242 on their donkeysH2543, and wineskinsH4997 that were wornH1087 outH1087, splitH1234 openH1234, and patchedH6887, 5and worn-outH1087 and patchedH2921 sandalsH5275 on their feetH7272, and worn-outH1087 clothesH8008 on themselves; and allH3605 the breadH3899 of their provisionH6718 wasH3001 dryH3001 and had becomeH1961 crumbledH5350. 6And they wentH1980 to JoshuaH3091 at the 7campH4264 at GilgalH1537 and saidH559 to him and to the menH376 of IsraelH3478, “We have comeH935 from a farH7350 countryH776; nowH6258 then, makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with us.” 7But the menH376 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to the 8HivitesH2340, “PerhapsH194 you are livingH3427 9withinH7130 our landH7130; 10howH349 then are we to makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with you?” 8So they saidH559 to JoshuaH3091, “11We are your servantsH5650.” Then JoshuaH3091 saidH559 to them, “WhoH4310 are you and whereH370 do you comeH935 from?” 9They saidH559 to him, “Your servantsH5650 have comeH935 from 12a veryH3966 distantH7350 countryH776 because of the 13fameH8034 of the LordH3068 your GodH430; for 14we have heardH8085 the reportH8089 about Him and allH3605 that He didH6213 in EgyptH4714, 10and allH3605 that He didH6213 to the twoH8147 kingsH4428 of the AmoritesH567 whoH834 were beyondH5676 the JordanH3383, to SihonH5511 kingH4428 of HeshbonH2809 and to OgH5747 kingH4428 of BashanH1316 whoH834 was in AshtarothH6252. 11So our eldersH2205 and allH3605 the inhabitantsH3427 of our countryH776 spokeH559 to us, sayingH559, ‘TakeH3947 provisionsH6720 in your handH3027 for the journeyH1870, and goH1980 to meetH7122 them, and sayH559 to them, “15We are your servantsH5650; nowH6258 then, makeH3772 a covenantH1285 with us.”’ 12ThisH2088 breadH3899 of ours was hotH2525 when we tookH6719 it forH6719 our provisionsH6719 from our housesH1004 on the dayH3117 that we leftH3318 to comeH1980 to you; but nowH6258 beholdH2009, it isH3001 dryH3001 and has becomeH1961 crumbledH5350. 13And theseH428 wineskinsH4997 whichH834 we filledH4390 were newH2319, and beholdH2009, they are splitH1234 openH1234; and theseH428 clothesH8008 of ours and our sandalsH5275 are wornH1086 outH1086 from the veryH3966 longH7230 journeyH1870.” 14So the menH376 of Israel tookH3947 someH4480 of their provisionsH6718, and 16did not askH7592 for the 17counselH6310 of the LordH3068. 15And 18JoshuaH3091 madeH6213 peaceH7965 with them and madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with them, to let them liveH2421; and the leadersH5387 of the congregationH5712 sworeH7650 an oath to them.

16However, it cameH1961 aboutH1961 at the endH7097 of threeH7969 daysH3117 afterH310 they had madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with them, that they heardH8085 that they were neighborsH7138 and that they were livingH3427 19withinH7130 their land. 17Then the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 setH5265 outH5265 and cameH935 to their citiesH5892 on the thirdH7992 dayH3117. Now their citiesH5892 were 20GibeonH1391, ChephirahH3716, BeerothH881, and Kiriath-jearimH7157. 18But the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 did not 21attackH5221 them becauseH3588 the leadersH5387 of the congregationH5712 had swornH7650 to them by the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478. And the wholeH3605 congregationH5712 grumbledH3885 againstH5921 the leadersH5387. 19But allH3605 the leadersH5387 saidH559 to the wholeH3605 congregationH5712, “We have swornH7650 to them by the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, and nowH6258 we cannotH3201H3808 touchH5060 them. 20ThisH2088 we will doH6213 to them, even let them liveH2421, so that wrathH7110 will not be on us because of the oathH7621 whichH834 we sworeH7650 to them.” 21So the leadersH5387 saidH559 to them, “Let them liveH2421.” And they becameH1961 22gatherersH2404 of firewoodH6086 and 23labor to drawH7579 waterH4325 for the wholeH3605 congregationH5712, justH3512 asH3512 the leadersH5387 had spokenH1696 to them.

22Then JoshuaH3091 calledH7121 for them and spokeH1696 to them, sayingH559, “WhyH4100 have you deceivedH7411 us, sayingH559, ‘We are veryH3966 farH7350 from you,’ 24when you are livingH3427 25withinH7130 our land? 23NowH6258 therefore, you are 26cursedH779, and 27you will neverH3808 ceaseH3772 to be slavesH5650, both gatherersH2404 of firewoodH6086 and 28labor to drawH7579 waterH4325 for the houseH1004 of my GodH430.” 24So they answeredH6030 JoshuaH3091 and saidH559, “29SinceH3588 your servantsH5650 were fullyH5046 informedH5046 that the LordH3068 your GodH430 had commandedH6680 His servantH5650 MosesH4872 to giveH5414 you allH3605 the landH776, and to destroyH8045 allH3605 the inhabitantsH3427 of the landH776 beforeH4480H6440 you, we fearedH3372 greatlyH3966 for our livesH5315 becauseH4480H6440 of you, and didH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697. 25And nowH6258 beholdH2009, 30we are in your handsH3027; doH6213 to us as it seems goodH2896 and rightH3477 in your sightH5869 to doH6213.” 26ThisH3651 he didH6213 to them, and savedH5337 them from the handsH3027 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, and they did not killH2026 them. 27But on that dayH3117 JoshuaH3091 madeH5414 them gatherersH2404 of firewoodH6086 and 31labor to drawH7579 waterH4325 for the congregationH5712 and for the altarH4196 of the LordH3068, to thisH2088 dayH3117, 32in the placeH4725 whichH834 He would chooseH977.