Joshua 9:1-10

1 It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Yarden, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Levanon, the Hittite, and the Amori, the Kana`ani, the Perizzi, the Hivvi, and the Yevusi, heard of it;
2 that they gathered themselves together, to fight with Yehoshua and with Yisra'el, with one accord.
3 But when the inhabitants of Giv`on heard what Yehoshua had done to Yericho and to `Ai,
4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wine-skins, old and torn and bound up,
5 and old and patched shoes on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become moldy.
6 They went to Yehoshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Yisra'el, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us.
7 The men of Yisra'el said to the Hivvi, What if you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?
8 They said to Yehoshua, We are your servants. Yehoshua said to them, Who are you? and from whence come you?
9 They said to him, From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of the LORD your God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Mitzrayim,
10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amori, who were beyond the Yarden, to Sichon king of Heshbon, and to `Og king of Bashan, who was at `Ashtarot.

Joshua 9:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOSHUA 9

This chapter gives an account of the combination of the several kings of Canaan against Israel, Jos 9:1,2; and of the craftiness of the Gibeonites, pretending they were ambassadors from a far country, and desired to enter into a league with Israel, which they obtained, Jos 9:3-15; but when it was discovered who they were, it occasioned a murmuring among the people, Jos 9:16-18; which the princes quelled by proposing to make them hewers of wood, and drawers of water, Jos 9:19-21; in order to which Joshua summoned them before him, and chided them for beguiling them; and after they had made their excuse, he ordered them to the service the princes proposed, and so peace in the congregation of Israel was preserved, Jos 9:21-27.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.