Joshua 9:22

22 And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell 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 we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

21 They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22 And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?

23 And now ye are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.

24 And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord thy God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that dwelt on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and we did this thing.