The Deceit of the Gibeonites 1 AKJV And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; BSB BSB: Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)—
2 AKJV That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. BSB BSB: they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 AKJV And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, BSB BSB: But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 AKJV They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; BSB BSB: acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
5 AKJV And old shoes and clouted on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. BSB BSB: They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.
6 AKJV And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make you a league with us. BSB BSB: They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”
7 AKJV And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Peradventure you dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? BSB BSB: But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”
8 AKJV And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? and from where come you? BSB BSB: “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”
9 AKJV And they said to him, From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of the LORD your God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, BSB BSB: “Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt,
10 AKJV And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. BSB BSB: and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
11 AKJV Why our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore now make you a league with us. BSB BSB: So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’
12 AKJV This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy: BSB BSB: This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But look, it is now dry and moldy.
13 AKJV And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. BSB BSB: These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”
14 AKJV And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. BSB BSB: Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
15 AKJV And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to them. BSB BSB: And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16 AKJV And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelled among them. BSB BSB: Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.
17 AKJV And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. BSB BSB: So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18 AKJV And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. BSB BSB: But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
19 AKJV But all the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. BSB BSB: All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.
20 AKJV This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them. BSB BSB: This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”
21 AKJV And the princes said to them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation; as the princes had promised them. BSB BSB: They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.
22 AKJV And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us? BSB BSB: Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?
23 AKJV Now therefore you are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being slaves, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. BSB BSB: Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24 AKJV And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that the LORD 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. BSB BSB: The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this.
25 AKJV And now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seems good and right to you to do to us, do. BSB BSB: Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 AKJV And so did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. BSB BSB: So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
27 AKJV And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even to this day, in the place which he should choose. BSB BSB: On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.