Joshua 9:12
New International Version
This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is.

New Living Translation
“This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy.

English Standard Version
Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly.

Berean Standard Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But look, it is now dry and moldy.

King James Bible
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:

New King James Version
This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy.

New American Standard Bible
This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

NASB 1995
“This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

NASB 1977
“This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

Legacy Standard Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled.

Amplified Bible
This bread of ours was hot (fresh) when we took it along as our provision from our houses on the day we left to come to you; now look, it is dry and has turned to crumbs.

Christian Standard Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you; but see, it is now dry and crumbly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and crumbly.

American Standard Version
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 is become mouldy:

Contemporary English Version
See this dry, crumbly bread of ours? It was hot out of the oven when we packed the food on the day we left our homes.

English Revised Version
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 is become mouldy:

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

Good News Translation
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.

International Standard Version
Look at our bread: it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for our journey on the very day we set out to come to you. But now, look how it's dry and moldy.

Majority Standard Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy.

NET Bible
This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, but now it is dry and hard.

New Heart English Bible
This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, look, it is dry, and has become moldy.

Webster's Bible Translation
This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy:

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
this bread of ours—we provided ourselves with it hot out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go to you, and now, behold, it is dry, and has been crumbs;

Young's Literal Translation
this our bread -- hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry, and hath been crumbs;

Smith's Literal Translation
This the hot bread we took it for food from our houses in the day we came forth to come to you; and now, behold, it dry, and it was crumbs.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold, these leaves we took hot, when we set out from our houses to come to you, now they are become dry, and broken in pieces, by being exceeding old.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Lo, the loaves were taken up warm when we departed from our houses, so that we might come to you. Now they have become dry and broken, due to age.

New American Bible
This bread of ours was still warm when we brought it from home as provisions the day we left to come to you, but now it is dry and crumbly.

New Revised Standard Version
Here is our bread; it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and moldy;
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Moreover, they also said to Joshua, This bread we took hot out of our houses for our provisions on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and is mouldy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said to Yeshua, “This is our bread when we went as Ambassadors, it was hot from our houses, in the day that we went out to come to you, and now, behold, it has dried up and it is moldy
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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 is become crumbs.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
These are the loaves - we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
11So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ 12This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy. 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 29:5
For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.

Exodus 16:19-20
Then Moses said to them, “No one may keep any of it until morning.” / But they did not listen to Moses; some people left part of it until morning, and it became infested with maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.

1 Samuel 21:6
So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread.

John 6:31-35
Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” / Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. / For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” ...

1 Kings 17:12-16
But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.” / “Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you have said. But first make me a small cake of bread from what you have, and bring it out to me. Afterward, make some for yourself and your son, / for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain upon the face of the earth.’” ...

2 Kings 4:42-44
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha. / But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” / So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Nehemiah 9:21
For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Psalm 78:24-25
He rained down manna for them to eat; He gave them grain from heaven. / Man ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance.

Isaiah 55:2
Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

Ezekiel 4:9-17
But take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat during the 390 days you lie on your side. / You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times. / You are also to measure out a sixth of a hin of water to drink, and you are to drink it at set times. ...

Matthew 14:19-21
And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. / They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. / About five thousand men were fed, besides women and children.

Mark 8:14-21
Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. / “Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.” / So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. ...

Luke 9:12-17
As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.” / But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” / (There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ...

John 6:48-51
I am the bread of life. / Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. / This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. ...


Treasury of Scripture

This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy:

our bread

Joshua 9:4,5
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; …

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Joshua 9
1. The kings combine against Israel
3. The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league
22. They are condemned to perpetual bondage














This bread of ours
The phrase "this bread of ours" signifies the sustenance and provision that the Gibeonites brought with them. In the Hebrew context, bread (Hebrew: "lechem") is often symbolic of life and sustenance. Bread was a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet, representing the basic necessities of life. The Gibeonites' reference to their bread highlights their attempt to deceive the Israelites by emphasizing their supposed long journey, which is a central theme in this narrative.

was warm when we packed it
The warmth of the bread when packed suggests freshness and immediacy. In the ancient world, bread was baked daily, and its warmth would indicate recent preparation. The Gibeonites use this detail to craft a convincing story, implying that their journey was so long that even fresh bread had become old. This detail is crucial in their deception, as it appeals to the Israelites' senses and understanding of daily life.

on the day we left to come to you
This phrase underscores the urgency and immediacy of the Gibeonites' supposed departure. The mention of "the day we left" is intended to convey a sense of haste and determination. Historically, such a journey would require careful planning and provision, and the Gibeonites' claim is designed to evoke empathy and trust from the Israelites, suggesting a long and arduous journey undertaken with sincerity.

But take a look
The invitation to "take a look" is a direct appeal to the Israelites' sense of sight and judgment. It is a call to examine the evidence presented before them. In the context of ancient covenants and agreements, visual inspection was a common practice to verify claims. The Gibeonites cleverly use this tactic to reinforce their story, knowing that the physical state of the bread would support their narrative.

it is now dry and moldy
The description of the bread as "dry and moldy" serves as tangible evidence of the Gibeonites' fabricated long journey. In the Hebrew context, moldy bread (Hebrew: "nikkudim") would be seen as undesirable and a sign of neglect or extended travel. This imagery is powerful, as it contrasts sharply with the initial description of warm bread, emphasizing the supposed length and difficulty of their journey. The Gibeonites' deception hinges on this transformation, which they hope will convince the Israelites of their sincerity and need for a treaty.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
This
זֶ֣ה ׀ (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

bread
לַחְמֵ֗נוּ (laḥ·mê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

of ours was warm
חָ֞ם (ḥām)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2525: Hot

when we packed it
הִצְטַיַּ֤דְנוּ (hiṣ·ṭay·yaḏ·nū)
Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common plural
Strong's 6679: To lie alongside, to catch an animal, to victual

at home
מִבָּ֣תֵּ֔ינוּ (mib·bāt·tê·nū)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural
Strong's 1004: A house

on the day
בְּי֥וֹם (bə·yō·wm)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

we left
צֵאתֵ֖נוּ (ṣê·ṯê·nū)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

to come
לָלֶ֣כֶת (lā·le·ḵeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to you.
אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם (’ă·lê·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

But take a look,
הִנֵּ֣ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

it is now
וְעַתָּה֙ (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

dry
יָבֵ֔שׁ (yā·ḇêš)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither

and
וְהָיָ֖ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

moldy.
נִקֻּדִֽים׃ (niq·qu·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5350: Perhaps what is crumbled or easily crumbles, crumbs


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OT History: Joshua 9:12 This our bread we took hot (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 9:11
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