Joshua Chapter 9
Showing all 27 verses for Joshua Chapter 9.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; "
"When all the kings on the west side of the Jordan - in the hill country, the lowlands, and along the coast facing Lebanon - heard about what had happened (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites),"
Fear can unite even old rivals against a common threat - the kings set aside their differences to oppose what God is doing. When you walk in my purposes, expect opposition to sometimes gather from unexpected alliances; do not be surprised, and do not be afraid.
"That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. "
"they banded together to fight against Joshua and Israel, united as one force."
Unity built on fear and self-preservation rather than truth is a fragile thing - these kings gather 'with one accord' only because they are afraid. Contrast that with the unity I call my people to, which is built on love, not on a shared enemy.
"And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, "
"But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,"
Gibeon's fear leads them to choose deception rather than honest approach - a very human response, but not the wisest one. When you are afraid, come to me honestly rather than scheming; I would rather you ask plainly than manipulate your way to safety.
"They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; "
"they acted cunningly: they dressed up as travelling messengers, loaded worn-out sacks onto their donkeys, and brought old, cracked, patched-up wineskins."
The Gibeonites go to great lengths of disguise to secure survival - and though their method was deceptive, their underlying instinct to seek mercy rather than fight was not wrong. I welcome anyone who comes seeking peace with me, even if their journey there has been messy and imperfect.
"And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. "
"They wore old, patched sandals and worn-out clothes, and all the bread they carried was dry and covered in mould."
Every worn-out detail - old shoes, mouldy bread - is designed to tell a convincing story. Be discerning about appearances; not everything presented to look one way truly is what it seems, and wisdom takes time to look closer.
"And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. "
"They went to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We've come from a distant country - so make a treaty with us.""
The Gibeonites come specifically seeking a covenant of peace - even in deception, what they truly wanted was safety and belonging with God's people. I welcome all who genuinely seek peace with me, and I long for you to invite others into that same peace rather than turning them away.
"And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? "
"The Israelites said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you actually live among us - how could we make a treaty with you in that case?""
Israel's suspicion here is reasonable - questioning before committing to a serious covenant is wise, not unloving. Discernment and love can walk together; you do not have to accept every claim at face value to still act with kindness.
"And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? "
"The Gibeonites said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked, "Who are you, and where do you come from?""
Joshua asks direct, honest questions rather than assuming the worst or the best - a model for how to handle uncertainty with people. Take time to ask and listen before you judge a situation either way.
"And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, "
"They replied, "Your servants have come from a very distant land, because of the reputation of the LORD your God - we've heard about him, and everything he did in Egypt,"
The Gibeonites' fear of God is, at its core, genuine - they have heard of my works and it moved them to seek me out, even through deceit. I honour a heart that is truly seeking me, even when the path taken to reach that point is flawed.
"And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. "
"and everything he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan - Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who ruled from Ashtaroth.""
News of what God had done for Israel travelled far and changed how outsiders saw them - your testimony of what I have done in your life can reach further than you think, even to people you never expected. Let your story be told; you never know who is watching.
"Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. "
""So our elders and all the people of our country told us, 'Take supplies for the journey, go and meet them, and say: we are your servants - make a treaty with us.'""
The Gibeonite elders coach their people carefully in what to say - showing how deception can be organised and deliberate, not just a spur-of-the-moment lie. Be aware that manipulation is sometimes carefully planned, and ask me for discernment to see past a well-rehearsed story.
"This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: "
""This bread of ours was warm and fresh when we packed it and left our houses - now look, it's dry and mouldy.""
The Gibeonites point to physical evidence - dry, mouldy bread - to support their claim, though the evidence itself was staged. Not all convincing 'proof' tells the truth; ask me for wisdom to look beyond what merely appears compelling.
"And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. "
""These wineskins were new when we filled them, and now look, they're cracked. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the very long journey.""
Every detail of the Gibeonites' story fits together seamlessly, showing how thorough deception can be. Even so, take heart: I am not fooled the way people can be, and I still work good even through situations built on a lie.
"And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. "
"The Israelite leaders sampled their provisions but did not ask the LORD for guidance."
Here is the crucial failure: Israel's leaders 'asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.' The lesson is gentle but firm - even when a decision seems obvious or urgent, pause and bring it to me in prayer before committing.
"And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. "
"So Joshua made peace with them and formed a treaty guaranteeing their lives, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to it."
Once Joshua makes the covenant and swears the oath, it is binding - a promise, even one made in error, still carries weight. I take your word seriously; let your yes be yes, and honour commitments even when you later realise you moved too fast.
"And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they among them. "
💡 Highlighted words feature Jacobean 1611 tooltips to clarify shifted 17th-century English terms.
"Three days after making the treaty, the Israelites found out that the Gibeonites were actually their neighbours, living close by."
The truth comes out only three days later - deception often unravels in time, even when it succeeds at first. Do not be discouraged if a wrong done to you is not exposed immediately; the truth has a way of surfacing.
"And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. "
"The Israelites travelled on and reached the Gibeonites' cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim."
Israel goes and confirms the truth for themselves rather than simply reacting in anger - a model of checking facts carefully even after being wronged. When you discover you have been deceived, seek the full truth calmly before you decide how to respond.
"And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. "
"But the Israelites did not attack them, because their leaders had sworn an oath to them in the LORD's name. The whole community grumbled against their leaders over this."
Even though deceived, Israel does not break the oath - the leaders hold to their word despite the people's anger. This shows real integrity: keeping a promise is not conditional on it turning out to be convenient or fair to you.
"But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. "
"But all the leaders told the whole community, "We have sworn to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel - now we cannot touch them.""
The princes stand firm, reminding the people that an oath sworn in my name cannot simply be discarded because it becomes inconvenient. Let this challenge you: are there promises you have made that you are now tempted to abandon just because keeping them is hard?
"This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. "
""This is what we'll do: we will let them live, so that God's anger doesn't fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.""
The princes choose to let the Gibeonites live rather than risk the wrath that would come from breaking their sworn word - mercy and integrity work together here. Choose the path of mercy, even when it means living with the consequences of an earlier mistake.
"And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them. "
"The leaders continued: "Let them live - but they will become woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community," just as the leaders had promised."
Rather than annihilate the Gibeonites, Israel finds a way for them to live and serve within the community - judgement is tempered with a place still made for them. Even when someone has wronged you, look for ways to include rather than utterly exclude them.
"And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? "
"Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us, claiming you lived far away, when in fact you live right among us?""
Joshua confronts the Gibeonites directly about their deception, naming what was done honestly rather than pretending it did not happen. Confronting wrongdoing openly, without cruelty, is part of dealing with people in truth and love.
"Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. "
""So now you are under a curse: you will never stop being slaves - woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.""
The Gibeonites' punishment - lasting servitude - is real, yet it comes paired with life and a permanent place in Israel's worship life, serving 'for the house of my God.' Even discipline in my hands is never separated from an ongoing invitation to belong and serve.
"And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. "
"They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this whole land and destroy everyone living in it - so we were terrified for our lives, and that's why we did this.""
The Gibeonites explain plainly: fear for their lives drove their deception. There is something deeply human and understandable in this confession - I do not despise you for the fear that has driven you to poor choices, but I invite you instead to bring that fear honestly to me.
"And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. "
""Now, here we are, in your power - do to us whatever seems good and right to you.""
The Gibeonites surrender themselves completely - 'do unto us as it seemeth good and right unto thee' - a picture of total submission and trust after their scheme is exposed. There is real freedom in laying down your own plans and placing yourself honestly in my hands.
"And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. "
"So that's what Joshua did: he protected them from the Israelites, and they were not killed."
Joshua delivers the Gibeonites from death despite their deceit - mercy triumphs even towards those who wronged Israel through trickery. This is exactly the kind of undeserved rescue I offer you: not because you earned it, but because mercy is who I am.
"And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose. "
"That day, Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the LORD's altar - a role they still held at the time this was written, wherever God would choose to be worshipped."
The Gibeonites end up serving permanently at the altar of the LORD - what began in deceit ends in a lasting role near the very heart of worship. I can take even the messiest beginnings in your story and give them a lasting, meaningful place in my purposes.