Joshua 9 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Gibeonites Act Craftily

1 Now it happened ^H1961 when all ^H3605 the kings ^H4428 who ^H834 were beyond ^H5676 the Jordan ^H3383, in the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022 and in the [fn]Shephelah ^H8219 and on all ^H3605 the coast ^H2348 of the Great ^H1419 Sea ^H3220 toward ^H413 H4136 Lebanon ^H3844, the Hittite ^H2850 and the Amorite ^H567, the Canaanite ^H3669, the Perizzite ^H6522, the Hivite ^H2340 and the Jebusite ^H2983, heard ^H8085 of it,

2 that they gathered ^H6908 themselves together ^H3162 with [fn]one ^H259 accord ^H6310 to fight ^H3898 with Joshua ^H3091 and with Israel ^H3478.

3 Now the inhabitants ^H3427 of Gibeon ^H1391 heard ^H8085 what ^H834 Joshua ^H3091 had done ^H6213 to Jericho ^H3405 and to Ai ^H5857. 4 So they also ^H1571 acted ^H6213 craftily ^H6195 and went ^H1980 and traveled ^H6737 as envoys ^H6737 and took ^H3947 worn-out ^H1087 sacks ^H8242 on their donkeys ^H2543, and wineskins ^H4997 worn-out ^H1087 and torn ^H1234 and [fn]mended ^H6887, 5 and worn-out ^H1087 and patched ^H2921 sandals ^H5275 on their feet ^H7272, and worn-out ^H1087 clothes ^H8008 on themselves; and all ^H3605 the bread ^H3899 of their provision ^H6718 was dry ^H3001 and was ^H1961 crumbled ^H5350. 6 And they went ^H1980 to Joshua ^H3091 to the camp ^H4264 at Gilgal ^H1537 and said ^H559 to him and to the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478, “We have come ^H935 from a far ^H7350 country ^H776; so now ^H6258, cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with us.” 7 Then the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 said ^H559 to the Hivites ^H2340, “Perhaps ^H194 you are living ^H3427 [fn]within ^H7130 our land ^H7130; how ^H349 then shall we cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with you?” 8 But they said ^H559 to Joshua ^H3091, “We are your servants ^H5650.” Then Joshua ^H3091 said ^H559 to them, “Who ^H4310 are you and where ^H370 do you come ^H935 from?” 9 They said ^H559 to him, “Your servants ^H5650 have come ^H935 from a very ^H3966 far ^H7350 country ^H776 because of the [fn]fame ^H8034 of Yahweh ^H3068 your God ^H430; for we have heard ^H8085 the report ^H8089 of Him and all ^H3605 that He did ^H6213 in Egypt ^H4714, 10 and all ^H3605 that He did ^H6213 to the two ^H8147 kings ^H4428 of the Amorites ^H567 who ^H834 were beyond ^H5676 the Jordan ^H3383, to Sihon ^H5511 king ^H4428 of Heshbon ^H2809 and to Og ^H5747 king ^H4428 of Bashan ^H1316 who ^H834 was at Ashtaroth ^H6252. 11 So our elders ^H2205 and all ^H3605 the inhabitants ^H3427 of our country ^H776 spoke ^H559 to us, saying ^H559, ‘Take ^H3947 provisions ^H6720 in your hand ^H3027 for the journey ^H1870, and go ^H1980 to meet ^H7122 them and say ^H559 to them, “We are your servants ^H5650; now ^H6258 then, cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with us.”’ 12 This ^H2088 bread ^H3899 of ours was warm ^H2525 when we took ^H6679 it for ^H6679 our provisions ^H6679 out of our houses ^H1004 on the day ^H3117 that we left ^H3318 to come ^H1980 to you; but now ^H6258 behold ^H2009, it is ^H3001 dry ^H3001 and has become ^H1961 crumbled ^H5350. 13 And these ^H428 wineskins ^H4997 which ^H834 we filled ^H4390 were new ^H2319, and behold ^H2009, they are torn ^H1234; and these ^H428 clothes ^H8008 of ours and our sandals ^H5275 are worn ^H1086 out ^H1086 because ^H4480 of the very ^H3966 long ^H7230 journey ^H1870.” 14 So the men ^H376 of Israel took ^H3947 some ^H4480 of their provisions ^H6718, but they did not ask ^H7592 for the [fn]command ^H6310 of Yahweh ^H3068. 15 And Joshua ^H3091 made ^H6213 peace ^H7965 with them and cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with them, to let them live ^H2421; and the leaders ^H5387 of the congregation ^H5712 swore ^H7650 an oath to them.

16 Now it happened ^H1961 at the end ^H7097 of three ^H7969 days ^H3117 after ^H310 they had cut ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with them, that they heard ^H8085 that they were near ^H7138 them and that they were living ^H3427 [fn]nearly ^H7130 among them. 17 Then the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 set ^H5265 out ^H5265 and came ^H935 to their cities ^H5892 on the third ^H7992 day ^H3117. Now their cities ^H5892 were Gibeon ^H1391 and Chephirah ^H3716 and Beeroth ^H881 and Kiriath-jearim ^H7157. 18 But the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 did not strike ^H5221 them down ^H5221 because ^H3588 the leaders ^H5387 of the congregation ^H5712 had sworn ^H7650 to them by Yahweh ^H3068 the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478. And the whole ^H3605 congregation ^H5712 grumbled ^H3885 against ^H5921 the leaders ^H5387. 19 Then all ^H3605 the leaders ^H5387 said ^H559 to the whole ^H3605 congregation ^H5712, “We have sworn ^H7650 to them by Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, so now ^H6258 we cannot ^H3201 H3808 touch ^H5060 them. 20 This ^H2088 we will do ^H6213 to them, even let them live ^H2421, so that wrath ^H7110 will not be upon us for the oath ^H7621 which ^H834 we swore ^H7650 to them.” 21 So the leaders ^H5387 said ^H559 to them, “Let them live ^H2421.” Thus they became ^H1961 hewers ^H2404 of wood ^H6086 and drawers ^H7579 of water ^H4325 for the whole ^H3605 congregation ^H5712, just ^H834 as the leaders ^H5387 had spoken ^H1696 to them.

22 Then Joshua ^H3091 called ^H7121 for them and spoke ^H1696 to them, saying ^H559, “Why ^H4100 have you deceived ^H7411 us, saying ^H559, ‘We are very ^H3966 far ^H7350 from you,’ when you are living ^H3427 nearly ^H7130 in ^H7130 the ^H7130 midst ^H7130 of us? 23 So now ^H6258, you are cursed ^H779, and [fn]you shall never ^H3808 be cut ^H3772 loose ^H3772 from being slaves ^H5650, both hewers ^H2404 of wood ^H6086 and drawers ^H7579 of water ^H4325 for the house ^H1004 of my God ^H430.” 24 So they answered ^H6030 Joshua ^H3091 and said ^H559, “Because ^H3588 it was certainly ^H5046 told ^H5046 to your slaves ^H5650 that Yahweh ^H3068 your God ^H430 had commanded ^H6680 His servant ^H5650 Moses ^H4872 to give ^H5414 you all ^H3605 the land ^H776 and to destroy ^H8045 all ^H3605 the inhabitants ^H3427 of the land ^H776 before ^H4480 H6440 you; therefore we feared ^H3372 greatly ^H3966 for our lives ^H5315 because ^H4480 H6440 of you and have done ^H6213 this ^H2088 thing ^H1697. 25 So now ^H6258, behold ^H2009, we are in your hands ^H3027; do ^H6213 as it seems good ^H2896 and right ^H3477 in your sight ^H5869 to do ^H6213 to us.” 26 Thus ^H3651 he did ^H6213 to them and delivered ^H5337 them from the hands ^H3027 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478, and they did not kill ^H2026 them. 27 But Joshua ^H3091 made ^H5414 them that day ^H3117 hewers ^H2404 of wood ^H2404 and drawers ^H7579 of water ^H4325 for the congregation ^H5712 and for the altar ^H4196 of Yahweh ^H3068, to this ^H2088 day ^H3117, in the place ^H4725 which ^H834 He would choose ^H977.