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Joshua 9 :: New International Version (NIV)

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The Gibeonite Deception

Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:1 - Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)—
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:2 - they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:3 - However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:4 - they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded[fn] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:5 - They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:6 - Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:7 - The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:8 - “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:9 - They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:10 - and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:11 - And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:12 - This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:13 - And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:14 - The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:15 - Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:16 - Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:17 - So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:18 - But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders,
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:19 - but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:20 - This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:21 - They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:22 - Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us?
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:23 - You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:24 - They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:25 - We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:26 - So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
Unchecked Copy BoxJos 9:27 - That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day.
NIV Footnotes
Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys
NIV

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.


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For more information on this translation, see the NIV Preface.

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