The Deceit of the Gibeonites 1 UST All the kings on the west side of the Jordan River heard about what the Israelites had done at Ai. These kings lived in the hilly region, in the western foothills, and along all the coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon. They were the kings of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Once these kings heard about what Israel had done to 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 UST they all agreed to gather{ their armies} together to fight against Joshua and the Israelite army. BSB BSB: they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 UST However, when the people who lived in the city of Gibeon heard that Joshua’ s army had killed all the people of Jericho and Ai, BSB BSB: But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 UST they{ decided to act differently toward the Israelites than the other kings had. The Gibeonites} decided to trick{ the Israelites}. They sent some of their men to be ambassadors{ for their people}. These men gathered old packs and old leather wine bags that people had mended after they had cracked. Then 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 UST They put on old sandals that people had patched, and they wore old, ragged clothes. They took along bread that was hard and had become crumbled. 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 UST They went to where Joshua and the other Israelites had set up their tents at Gilgal. They said to Joshua and the Israelite leaders,“We have traveled from a land that is far away. We want you to make a 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 UST The Israelite leaders said to these Hivite men,“You might actually live close by us. If you do, we certainly cannot make a treaty with you{, because if we did, then we would be disobeying Yahweh’ s command to dispossess all the people- groups who live near us}!” 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 UST But they replied to Joshua,“We are willing to become your subjects.” But Joshua answered,“What people- group do you belong to, and from what place did 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 UST The men from Gibeon answered him,“We have come here from a faraway country because Yahweh your God has become famous. People have told us about all the{ miraculous} things he did{ for you} 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 UST We have also heard that he helped you defeat the two Amorite kings who were on the east side of the Jordan River. These kings were Sihon, who ruled in the city of Heshbon, and Og, who ruled in the city of Ashtaroth in the region of Bashan. 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 UST So our leaders and the rest of our people said to us,‘Take some food with you and go to talk with the Israelites. Tell them,“We are willing to become your subjects. 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 UST When we left our homes to come to you, we packed this bread fresh from the oven. But see how it is now dry and has become hard and crumbled. 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 UST And{ when we left our homes to come to you}, these leather wine bags were new. But look at them now! They are old and cracked. Our clothes have become ragged and our sandals have become worn because of our long journey 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 UST The Israelite leaders looked at the food that the men from Gibeon had brought with them{ to see if it was old as they claimed}. But the Israelite leaders did not 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 UST Then Joshua agreed to make a treaty with the men from Gibeon. He promised that the Israelites would not kill the Gibeonites. The Israelite leaders made the same promise to the men from Gibeon. 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 UST A whole day went by after Joshua and the Israelite leaders made this treaty with the men from Gibeon. On the day after that, the Israelites learned that they actually lived close by 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 UST So they travelled to see where the Gibeonites lived. They left Gilgal on one day, traveled for another whole day, and on the day after that arrived at the city of Gibeon and the surrounding towns of 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 UST But the Israelites still did not kill the Gibeonites{ even after seeing that they lived nearby}. That was because their leaders had made a solemn vow by Yahweh their God promising them that they would not kill them. 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 UST But all the leaders replied,“We made a solemn vow by Yahweh our God promising them{ that we would not kill them}. So now we may not kill 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 UST What we must do to the Gibeonites is let them live. If we kill them, God will be angry with us{ and punish us} because we did not keep our promise 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 UST Then the leaders announced this decision to all of the Israelites:“We must allow them to live.” But they also told the Israelites that they could make the Gibeonites slaves who would cut wood and get water for all of them. So the Israelites obeyed the instructions of their leaders. 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 UST Joshua summoned the men from Gibeon and said to them,“Tell me why you lied to us by saying that you live very far from here, when in fact you actually live nearby! 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 UST Because you did that, Yahweh has cursed you. You will always be our slaves. We will make you cut wood and carry water for the place where we worship 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 UST The Gibeonites answered,“We lied to you because we were very afraid that you would kill us. We had heard that your God Yahweh instructed his servant Moses to give you all this land and kill everyone who lives in it. 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 UST So now, you have control over us. Do to us what you think is the right thing to do.” BSB BSB: Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 UST So Joshua saved the lives of the Gibeonites and did not permit the army of Israel to kill them. BSB BSB: So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
27 UST But from that day on, Joshua forced the Gibeonites to become the Israelites’ slaves. They cut wood and carried water for the Israelites. They also cut wood and carried water for Yahweh’ s altar, at whatever place he was going to choose{ for them to build it}. They still cut wood and carry water at 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.