Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 The victories of Israel became known to all the kings west of the Jordan - in the hills, in the foothills, and all along the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as Lebanon; these were the kings of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
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When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it
2 They all came together and joined forces to fight against Joshua and the Israelites.
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they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 But the people of Gibeon, who were Hivites, heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
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But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4 and they decided to deceive him. They went and got some food and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins.
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they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wineskins,
5 They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. The bread they took with them was dry and moldy.
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and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
6 Then they went to the camp at Gilgal and said to Joshua and the Israelites, "We have come from a distant land. We want you to make a treaty with us."
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They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”
7 But the Israelites said, "Why should we make a treaty with you? Maybe you live nearby."
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The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?”
8 They said to Joshua, "We are at your service." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"
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They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9 Then they told him this story: "We have come from a very distant land, sir, because we have heard of the Lord your God. We have heard about everything that he did in Egypt
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They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,
10 and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan: King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.
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and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
11 Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us.
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Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’
12 Look at our bread. When we left home with it and started out to meet you, it was still warm. But look! Now it is dry and moldy.
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This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy.
13 When we filled these wineskins, they were new, but look! They are torn. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long trip."
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These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”
14 The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the Lord about it.
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The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from the LORD’s mouth.
15 Joshua made a treaty of friendship with the people of Gibeon and allowed them to live. The leaders of the community of Israel gave their solemn promise to keep the treaty.
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Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.
16 Three days after the treaty had been made, the Israelites learned that these people did indeed live nearby.
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At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.
17 So the people of Israel started out and three days later arrived at the cities where these people lived: Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
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The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18 But the Israelites could not kill them, because their leaders had made a solemn promise to them in the name of the Lord, Israel's God. All the people complained to the leaders about this,
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The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 but they answered, "We have made our solemn promise to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. Now we cannot harm them.
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But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them.
20 We must let them live because of our promise; if we don't, God will punish us.
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We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”
21 Let them live, but they will have to cut wood and carry water for us." This was what the leaders suggested.
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The princes said to them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
22 Joshua ordered the people of Gibeon to be brought to him, and he asked them, "Why did you deceive us and tell us that you were from far away, when you live right here?
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Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us?
23 Because you did this, God has condemned you. Your people will always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the sanctuary of my God."
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Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
24 They answered, "We did it, sir, because we learned that it was really true that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to kill the people living in it as you advanced. We did it because we were terrified of you; we were in fear of our lives.
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They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 Now we are in your power; do with us what you think is right."
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Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”
26 So this is what Joshua did: he protected them and did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.
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He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them.
27 But at the same time he made them slaves, to cut wood and carry water for the people of Israel and for the Lord's altar. To this day they have continued to do this work in the place where the Lord has chosen to be worshiped.
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That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the LORD’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.