Parallel Bible results for "joshua 9"

Joshua 9

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 When all the kings on the west side of the Yarden in the hills, in the Sh'felah and all along the shore of the Great Sea that fronts the L'vanon - the Hitti, Emori, Kena'ani, P'rizi, Hivi and Y'vusi - heard what had happened,

2 they joined forces to fight together against Y'hoshua and Isra'el.

3 But when the inhabitants of Giv'ah heard what Y'hoshua had done to Yericho and 'Ai,

4 they developed a clever deception: they made themselves look as if they had been on a long journey by putting old sacks on their donkeys and taking used wineskins that had burst and been mended back together.

5 They put old, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes; and took as provisions nothing but dried-up bread that was crumbling to pieces.

6 Then they went to Y'hoshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Isra'el, "We have come from a country far away. Now, make a covenant with us."

7 The men of Isra'el said to the Hivi, "How do we know that you don't live here among us? If you do, we don't want to make a covenant with you."

8 But they answered Y'hoshua, "We are your servants." Y'hoshua asked, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"

9 They answered him, "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the reputation of ADONAI your God. We have heard reports about him - everything he did in Egypt,

10 and everything he did to the two kings of the Emori across the Yarden, Sichon king of Heshbon and 'Og king of Bashan at 'Ashtarot.

11 So our leaders and all the people living in our country said to us, "Take provisions with you for the journey, go to meet them, and say to them, 'We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.'

12 Here is the bread which we took for our provisions. It was still warm when we took it out of our homes the day we left to come to you. Now look at it! It's dry and turned to crumbs!

13 And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, now they're torn. Likewise these clothes of ours and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey."

14 The men sampled some of their food but didn't seek the advice of ADONAI,

15 so Y'hoshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to spare their lives, and the leading officials of the community swore to them.

16 But three days later, after they had made the covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, that they lived there with them.

17 The people of Isra'el traveled and arrived at their cities on the third day. Their cities were Giv'on, K'firah, Be'erot and Kiryat-Ye'arim.

18 The people of Isra'el did not attack them, because the leading officials of the community had sworn to them by ADONAI, the God of Isra'el; but all the community grumbled against the leaders.

19 However, the leaders replied to the whole community, "We have sworn to them by ADONAI, the God of Isra'el; so we can't touch them.

20 Here is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that God's anger will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them.

21 Yes, let them live," the leaders continued, "but let them chop wood and draw water for the whole community." This is what the leaders said.

22 Y'hoshua summoned them and said this to them: "Why have you deceived us by saying, 'We come from a place very far away,' when in fact you are living right here with us?

23 Now you have a curse on you: you will be slaves forever, supplying people to chop wood and draw water for the house of my God."

24 They answered Y'hoshua, "It is because we heard the reports that ADONAI your God had ordered his servant Moshe to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from ahead of you. So we were terrified for our lives on account of you; that's why we did this.

25 Now, as you see, we are in your hands; do to us whatever seems good and right to you."

26 So Y'hoshua did exactly that: he saved them from the power of the people of Isra'el, so that they didn't kill them.

27 But he did that same day make them choppers of wood and drawers of water for the community and for the altar of ADONAI in the place which he would choose; and they remain so to this day.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 When all the kings west of the Jordan River heard about these events,

2 they joined together to fight Joshua and Israel. (They were the kings in the mountains, the foothills, and along the whole Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon, the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.)

3 When the people living in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

4 they devised a scheme. They posed as messengers. They took worn-out sacks on their donkeys. Their wineskins were old, split, and patched.

5 Their sandals were worn-out and repaired, and their clothes were tattered. All their bread was dried out and crumbling.

6 They came to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal. They told Joshua and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country. Make a treaty with us right now."

7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you're living in this area? We wouldn't be able to make a treaty with you."

8 They responded to Joshua, "We're at your mercy." Joshua asked them, "Who are you, and where did you come from?"

9 They answered him, "We came from a country very far away because the LORD your God has become famous. We heard stories about him and everything he did in Egypt.

10 We also heard everything he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.

11 Our leaders and everyone who lives in our country told us, 'Take what you need for the trip, and go meet them. Tell them, "We're at your mercy. Make a treaty with us right now."'

12 Our bread was warm when we left home to meet with you. Look at it now! It's dry and crumbling.

13 These were new wineskins when we filled them. Look at them now! See how they are splitting! Our clothes and sandals are also worn-out because we have come such a long way."

14 The men believed the evidence they were shown, but they did not ask the LORD about it.

15 So Joshua made peace with them by making a treaty which allowed them to live. The leaders of the congregation swore to it with an oath.

16 But three days after the treaty was made, the Israelites heard that these people were their neighbors and lived with them.

17 The Israelites broke camp. They came to the cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim two days later.

18 The Israelites didn't destroy these other people, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath about them to the LORD God of Israel. The whole congregation complained about the leaders.

19 But all the leaders said to them, "We have sworn an oath about them to the LORD God of Israel, so we cannot touch them now.

20 We must let them live to avoid [the LORD's] anger because of the oath we swore."

21 The leaders said that they should be allowed to live. So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had said.

22 Joshua sent for the people of Gibeon and asked, "Why did you deceive us by saying, 'We live very far away from you,' when you live here with us?

23 You are under a curse now. You will always be servants. You will be woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."

24 They answered Joshua, "We were told that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and destroy all who live there. We deceived you because we feared for our lives.

25 Now we're at your mercy. Do to us what you think is good and right."

26 So Joshua rescued them and did not let the people of Israel kill them.

27 But that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation. They served the LORD's altar, wherever he chose to put it. They still serve today.