Joshua 9:22

22 Joshua called for the Gibeonites and spoke to them: "Why have you deceived us by saying, ‘We live very far away from you,' when actually you live among us?

Joshua 9:22 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:22

And Joshua called for them
The Gibeonites, who came as ambassadors for their people, who were detained at Gilgal until the children of Israel returned from Gibeon; and upon their return, and having made their report to Joshua that they found it to be true that they were near neighbours, Joshua ordered them to be brought before him:

and he spake unto them, saying, wherefore have ye beguiled us?
what is your reason and motive for so doing? what has induced you to act such a deceitful part, to tell such lies and falsehoods, and impose upon us after this manner?

saying, we [are] very far from you, when ye dwell among us:
pretending to come from a very far country, when they were inhabitants of the land Israel were come to possess.

Joshua 9:22 In-Context

20 This is what we'll do with them. We'll let them live so that wrath won't come down on us because of the solemn pledge that we made to them."

21 The leaders went on to say to them, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water haulers for the whole community, exactly as the leaders had intended for them.

22 Joshua called for the Gibeonites and spoke to them: "Why have you deceived us by saying, ‘We live very far away from you,' when actually you live among us?

23 So now you are cursed. Some of you will always serve as woodcutters and water haulers for my God's house."

24 They answered Joshua, "Your servants had been told that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the entire land and to wipe out all its population on your account. So we feared for our very lives because of you and did this thing.