1 ARST There were several kings who ruled in lands on the west side of the Jordan River. They were the kings of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. They lived in the hill country, in the lower hills further west, and on the plains beside the Mediterranean Sea. They heard about what happened at Ai. 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 ARST So they all gathered their armies under one leader to fight against Joshua and the Israelite army. BSB BSB: they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 ARST However, when the people who lived in the city of Gibeon heard that Joshua’ s army had defeated the people of Jericho and Ai, BSB BSB: But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 ARST they decided to trick the Israelites. They sent some of their men who pretended to be ambassadors for their people. These men gathered some old sacks and some old leather wine bags that had been mended after they were cracked, and they put these on the backs of their donkeys. BSB BSB: acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
5 ARST They put on old sandals that had been patched and wore old ragged clothes. And they took along bread that 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 ARST They went to where Joshua and the other Israelites had set up their tents near Gilgal. They said to them,“We have traveled from a land very far away. Please make a peace treaty 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 ARST The Israelite leaders said to those men from Gilead(they were Hivites),“Perhaps you really live close by. How can we make a treaty 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 ARST They replied to Joshua and insisted,“We are your servants!” But Joshua answered,“Who are you? Where do you actually come from?” BSB BSB: “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”
9 ARST The men from Gibeon answered,“We want to be your servants. We have come here from a distant land, because of the fame of Yahweh your God. We heard about all the great things 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 ARST And we have heard about what he did to the two kings of the Amorites who are on the east side of the Jordan River— Sihon, the king who ruled in Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan who lived in 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 ARST So our leaders and the rest of our people said to us,’ Take some food and go to talk with the Israelites. Tell them,“We want to be your servants. So make a peace agreement 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 ARST “Look at our bread. It was fresh and warm when we baked it on the day that we left our homes to come here to you. But now it is dry and 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 ARST Look at our leather wine bags, they were new when we filled them with wine before we left, but now they are cracked and old. Our clothes and our sandals are worn out from traveling on the long road to come here.” 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 ARST The Israelite leaders accepted some of their old food and ate a meal with them in order to make a peace treaty. They did not think to ask Yahweh what they should do. BSB BSB: Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
15 ARST In this way, Joshua agreed to make peace. The Israelites made a treaty with the men from Gibeon, in which they agreed not to kill these strangers. All the Israelite leaders made a solemn vow to this effect. 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 ARST However, three days later the Israelites found out that the men had only come from Gibeon and that they really lived close by. BSB BSB: Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.
17 ARST So they went to where the men from Gibeon lived. After traveling only three days, they came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. BSB BSB: So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18 ARST But the Israelites did not attack those cities because they had made a solemn vow to live peacefully with them, and because Yahweh had heard the promise they made. All the people of Israel grumbled against their leaders for making this treaty. 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 ARST But the leaders answered,“We promised to live peacefully with them and Yahweh, the God of Israel, heard us promise to do that. So now we cannot do them any harm. 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 ARST If we kill them, God will be very angry with us and punish us because we did not keep our promise to them, a promise that binds us by solemn oath. But this is what we can do: 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 ARST We will allow them to live, but they will become our servants; they will cut wood and carry water for all the people.” This is what happened, just as the leaders planned. 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 ARST Then Joshua summoned the men from Gibeon and asked them,“Why did you lie to us? Your homes are near to us; you live close to us, but you told us that you were from a far land! 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 ARST Now you are going to live under a curse. You will become our slaves. You will always be our slaves, and you will be forced to cut wood and carry water for the house of our 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 ARST The men from Gibeon replied,“We lied to you because we were afraid that you would kill us. We heard that Yahweh, your God, had declared to his servant Moses that he would enable your people to kill all of us in Canaan, and that he would give you our lands. 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 ARST So now you should decide what you will do with us. Do to us whatever you think is good and right.” BSB BSB: Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 ARST So Joshua saved the lives of the people of Gibeon; he did not permit the army of Israel to harm them. BSB BSB: So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
27 ARST Instead, he forced them to become the Israelites’ slaves. They cut wood and carried water for Israel. They also brought the wood and water that was needed for the sacred altar of Yahweh. And the people of Gibeon are still doing that to this present time. 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.