English Standard Version

Darby Bible Translation

The Gibeonite Deception

As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this,

1

The Deceit of the Gibeonites

And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and along all the coast of the great sea as far as opposite to Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [of it],

2

they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

2

that they assembled together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

3

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

3

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

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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,

4

then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up;

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with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly.

5

and old and patched sandals upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.

6

And they went to Joshua in 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.”

6

And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, From a far country are we come; and now make a covenant with us.

7

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?”

7

And the men of Israel said to the Hivite, Perhaps thou dwellest in the midst of us, and how should I make a covenant with thee?

8

They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?”

8

And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

9

They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

9

And they said to him, From a very far country are thy servants come, because of the name of Jehovah thy God; for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

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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 Ashtaroth.

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and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

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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.”’

11

And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take victuals in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants, and 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.

12

This our bread we took warm for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and is become mouldy.

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.”

13

And these flasks of wine which we filled new, behold, they are rent; and these our garments and our sandals are become old by reason of the very long journey.

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So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.

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And the men took of their victuals, but they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah.

15

And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

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And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the assembly swore unto them.

16

At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them.

16

And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt in their midst.

17

And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

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And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-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.

18

And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel. Then all the assembly murmured against the princes.

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.

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And all the princes said to all the assembly, We have sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.

20

This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.”

20

This we will do to them, and let them live, lest wrath come upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them.

21

And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.

21

And the princes said to them, Let them live. And they were hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly; as the princes had said to them.

22

Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us?

22

And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; whereas ye dwell in our midst?

23

Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”

23

And now ye are cursed, and ye shall never cease to be bondmen, and hewers 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 commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you — so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing.

24

And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants how that Jehovah thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and 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.”

25

And now behold, we are in thy hand: as it is good and right in thine eyes to do to us, do.

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.

26

And he did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.

27

But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place that he should choose.

27

And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly, and for the altar of Jehovah, to this day, in the place which he should choose.

Parallel

English Standard Version

Darby Bible Translation

Joshua 9

Joshua 9