Being Fooled into a Treaty with the City of Gibeon of the Hivites |
Joshua 9:1-27 The Book of Joshua [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened,] when all the Hittite, Amorite, Canaanite, Perizzite, Hivite & Jebusite kings on this side [of] Jordan, in the hills, valleys & coasts of [the Mediterranean Sea up to] Lebanon heard [of it;] |
They gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua & Israel & [united like 1 army.] When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho & Ai, they worked [deceitfully] & [acted as if] they had been ambassadors & [put] old sacks upon their [mules with] old [torn & mended] wine bottles. |
[They had] old [patched] shoes upon their feet & [wore] old [clothing] & all the bread [they brought] was dry & moldy. They went to the camp at Gilgal, to Joshua & said to him & the men of Israel, We [have] come from a [distant] country. Therefore, make a [treaty] with us now. |
The [Israelite] men said to the [Gibeonites of] the Hivites, [If] you [live] among us, how shall we make a [treaty] with you? They said to Joshua, We are your servants. |
Joshua said to them, Who are you? [Where] did you come from? They said to [Joshua, We,] your servants, have come from a very [distant] country, because of the Name of the Lord your God. |
For we have heard of His fame & all He did in Egypt & all He did to the [Amorite’s] 2 kings beyond [the] Jordan, to Sihon, [Heshbon’s] king & Og, [Bashan’s] king, [who] was at Ashtaroth. |
[Therefore,] our elders & the inhabitants of our country said to us, Take [food] with you for the journey & go & meet them & say to them, We are your servants, therefore make a [treaty] with us. |
We took this bread hot for our provisions [from] our [homes] the [day we left to come here;] but now, [look, it’s] dry & moldy. These bottles of wine, we filled, [when] they were new & [look] they are [torn.] |
Our [clothing] & shoes [have become] old, [because of] the very long journey. The men took [some of their food & didn’t] ask for [guidance] from the mouth of the Lord. |
Joshua made peace with them & made a [treaty] with them, to let them live & the princes of the congregation [swore in agreement with] them. |
It [happened,] at the end of 3 days, after they had made a [treaty] with [the Gibeonites,] the [Israelites] heard they were their neighbors [who lived near] them. |
The children [people] of Israel, journeyed 3 days & came to the cities: Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth & Kirjath Jearim. The [people] of Israel [didn’t attack] them, because of the [treaty] the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. |
All the congregation [of Israelites complained] against the princes. But all the princes said to the congregation, We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel: therefore we may not touch them. |
We will do this to them & we will let them live, lest anger is upon us, because of the oath we swore to them. The princes said, [In addition to letting] them live, we will let them be our wood [cutters] & our water [carriers] for all the congregation; as the [Israelite] princes promised them. |
Joshua called for them & spoke to [the Gibeonites,] saying, [Why] have you [deceived] us, saying, We are [from] very far [away] from you, when you [live near] us? Therefore, you are now cursed & none of you shall be freed from being bondmen & wood [cutters] & water [carriers for] the house of my God. |
[The Gibeonites] answered Joshua & said, Because, we, your servants, were certainly told, [that] the Lord your God commanded Moses to give you all the land & to destroy [its] inhabitants before you. |
Therefore, we were [very] afraid [for] our lives, because of you & we have done this thing. Now [look,] we are in your [hands.] [Do] as it seems good & right to you to do to us. |
[Joshua did this] to them & delivered them out of the hand of the [people] of Israel, [so] they [didn’t kill] them. That day, Joshua made [the Gibeonites] wood [cutters] & water [carriers] for the congregation & for the altar of the Lord, in the place He [would] choose, even [until] this day. |