Joshua 9

Gibeonites' Deceptive Strategy Joshua 9:3–6

³Verse 3. But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴Verse 4. they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wine skins, ⁵Verse 5. and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶Verse 6. They went to Joshua at 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.”

Israel's Inquiry and Decision Joshua 9:7–14

⁷Verse 7. The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?” ⁸Verse 8. They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?” ⁹Verse 9. They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰Verse 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.

¹¹Verse 11. Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’ ¹²Verse 12. This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy. ¹³Verse 13. These wine skins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.” ¹⁴Verse 14. The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth.

Covenant Made and Consequences Joshua 9:15–21

¹⁵Verse 15. Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them. ¹⁶Verse 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. ¹⁷Verse 17. The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. ¹⁸Verse 18. The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.

¹⁹Verse 19. But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them. ²⁰Verse 20. We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” ²¹Verse 21. The princes said to them, “Let them live, so they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.”

Revelation of Deception Joshua 9:22–24

²²Verse 22. Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us? ²³Verse 23. Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.” ²⁴Verse 24. They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

Gibeonites' Fate and Servitude Joshua 9:25–27

²⁵Verse 25. Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.” ²⁶Verse 26. He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them. ²⁷Verse 27. That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for Yahweh’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.