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New International Version (NIV) |
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1 Now all the kings west of the Jordan heard about what had happened. (These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Lebanon mountains.)
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1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things--those in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)--
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2 These kings quickly combined their armies to fight against Joshua and the Israelites.
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2 they came together to make war against Joshua and Israel.
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3 But when the people of Gibeon heard what had happened to Jericho and Ai,
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3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
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4 they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old patched wineskins.
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4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
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5 They put on ragged clothes and worn-out, patched sandals. And they took along dry, moldy bread for provisions.
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5 The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
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6 When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us."
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6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us."
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7 The Israelites replied to these Hivites, "How do we know you don't live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you."
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7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?"
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8 They replied, "We will be your servants.""But who are you?" Joshua demanded. "Where do you come from?"
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8 "We are your servants," they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?"
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9 They answered, "We are from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt.
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9 They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,
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10 We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River -- King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth).
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10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan--Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
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11 So our leaders and our people instructed us, 'Prepare for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and declare our people to be their servants, and ask for peace.'
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11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us." '
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12 "This bread was hot from the ovens when we left. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy.
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12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is.
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13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and cracked. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our long, hard trip."
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13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey."
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14 So the Israelite leaders examined their bread, but they did not consult the LORD.
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14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.
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15 Then Joshua went ahead and signed a peace treaty with them, and the leaders of Israel ratified their agreement with a binding oath.
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15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.
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16 Three days later, the facts came out -- these people of Gibeon lived nearby!
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16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.
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17 The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
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17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.
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18 But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for their leaders had made a vow to the LORD, the God of Israel.The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty.
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18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders,
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19 But the leaders replied, "We have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel. We cannot touch them.
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19 but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.
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20 We must let them live, for God would be angry with us if we broke our oath.
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20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them."
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21 Let them live. But we will make them chop the wood and carry the water for the entire community."So the Israelites kept their promise to the Gibeonites.
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21 They continued, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community." So the leaders' promise to them was kept.
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22 But Joshua called together the Gibeonite leaders and said, "Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us?
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22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us by saying, 'We live a long way from you,' while actually you live near us?
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23 May you be cursed! From now on you will chop wood and carry water for the house of my God."
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23 You are now under a curse: You will never cease to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."
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24 They replied, "We did it because we were told that the LORD your God instructed his servant Moses to conquer this entire land and destroy all the people living in it. So we feared for our lives because of you. That is why we have done it.
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24 They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.
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25 Now we are at your mercy -- do whatever you think is right."
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25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you."
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26 Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.
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26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
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27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodchoppers and water carriers for the people of Israel and for the altar of the LORD -- wherever the LORD would choose to build it. That arrangement continues to this day.
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27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day.
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| Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. (New Living Translation - The Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
