The Deceit of the Gibeonites 1 ULT And it happened, when all of the kings heard who{ were} on the other side of the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowlands and in all of the coast of the Great Sea toward the front of Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, 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 ULT that they gathered themselves together as one mouth to fight against Joshua and against Israel. BSB BSB: they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 ULT But the dwellers 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 ULT And they acted, they also, with cunning. And they went and acted as envoys and took worn- out sacks for their donkeys and worn- out and torn and mended skins of wine, BSB BSB: acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
5 ULT and worn- out and patched sandals{ were} on their feet, and worn- out garments{ were} on them, and all of the bread of their provisions was dry, it had become crumbs. 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 ULT And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and they said to him and to a man of Israel,“We have come from a distant land, and now, cut a covenant 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 ULT And a man of Israel said to the Hivite,“Perhaps you{ are} dwelling among us. Then how can I cut a covenant 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 ULT And they said to Joshua,“We{ are} your servants.” And Joshua said to them,“Who are you, and where have you 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 ULT And they said to him,“Your servants have come from a very distant land because of the name of Yahweh your God. For we have heard a report 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 ULT and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorite who were on the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon and to Og the king of Bashan who{ was} 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 ULT And our elders and all the dwellers of our land spoke to us, saying,‘Take provisions in your hand for the road and go to meet them. And you shall say to them,“We are your servants. And now, cut a covenant for 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 ULT This bread of ours, we took it as provision hot from our houses on the day of our going out to come to you. And now, behold, it is dry and has become crumbs. 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 ULT And these skins of wine that we filled{ were} new, and behold, they have broken open. And these garments of ours and sandals of ours are worn- out from the very great length of the road.” 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 ULT And the men took from their provisions, but they did not ask the mouth of Yahweh. BSB BSB: Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
15 ULT And Joshua made peace with them, and he cut a covenant with them to let them live. And the leaders 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 ULT And it happened at the end of three days, after when they had cut a covenant with them, that they heard that they{ were} near to them and they{ were} dwelling 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 ULT And the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities{ were} Gibeon and Kephirah and 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 ULT And the sons of Israel did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. And all of the congregation murmured against the leaders. 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 ULT But all of the leaders said to all of the congregation,“We, we have sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel, so now we are not able to 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 ULT We will do this to them and let them live so wrath will not be on us because of the oath that 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 ULT Then the leaders said to them,“Let them live.” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all of the congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to 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 ULT And Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying,“Why have you deceived us, saying,‘We{ are} very far from you,’ but you{ are} dwelling 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 ULT And now you are cursed, and none of you shall be cut off a slave 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 ULT And they answered Joshua and said,“Because declaring, it was declared to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded Moses his servant to give all of the land to you and to destroy all of the dwellers of the land from your faces. And we were very afraid for our lives from your faces, so we did 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 ULT And now, behold us, in your hand. Do to us as{ is} good and as{ is} right in your eyes to do.” BSB BSB: Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 ULT And he did thus to them. And he delivered them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they did not slay them. BSB BSB: So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
27 ULT But on that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he would 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.