Joshua 9:8
New International Version
“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

New Living Translation
They replied, “We are your servants.” “But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?”

English Standard Version
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?”

Berean Standard Bible
“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”

King James Bible
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

New King James Version
But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

New American Standard Bible
So they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

NASB 1995
But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

NASB 1977
But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

Legacy Standard Bible
But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

Amplified Bible
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

Christian Standard Bible
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where do you come from? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

American Standard Version
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

English Revised Version
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They responded to Joshua, "We're at your mercy." Joshua asked them, "Who are you, and where did you come from?"

Good News Translation
They said to Joshua, "We are at your service." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

International Standard Version
So they responded to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? And where did you come from?"

Majority Standard Bible
?We are your servants,? they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, ?Who are you and where have you come from??

NET Bible
But they said to Joshua, "We are willing to be your subjects." So Joshua said to them, "Who are you and where do you come from?"

New Heart English Bible
They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to Joshua, we are thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are ye? and whence come ye?

World English Bible
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they say to Joshua, “We [are] your servants.” And Joshua says to them, “Who [are] you? And where do you come from?”

Young's Literal Translation
and they say unto Joshua, 'Thy servants we are.' And Joshua saith unto them, 'Who are ye? and whence come ye?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will say to Joshua, We thy servants. And Joshua will say to them, Who are ye? and from whence will ye come?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But they said to Josue: We are thy servants. Josue said to them: Who are you? and whence came you?

Catholic Public Domain Version
But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them: “But who are you? And where are you from?”

New American Bible
But they answered Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

New Revised Standard Version
They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? And where do you come from?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said to Yeshua: “We are your Servants.” Yeshua said to them, “From where are you and from where have you come?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they said unto Joshua: 'We are thy servants.' And Joshua said unto them: 'Who are ye? and from whence come ye?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they said to Joshua, We are thy servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are ye, and whence have ye come?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?” 8“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?” 9“Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt,…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 20:10-11
When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace. / If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.

Exodus 23:32
You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.

Deuteronomy 7:2
and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

2 Samuel 21:2
At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)

1 Kings 9:20-21
As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)— / their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.

Judges 2:2
and you are not to make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall tear down their altars.’ Yet you have not obeyed My voice. What is this you have done?

2 Chronicles 8:7-8
As for all the people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites)— / their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites had not destroyed—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day.

Nehemiah 9:24-25
So their descendants went in and possessed the land; You subdued before them the Canaanites dwelling in the land. You delivered into their hands the kings and peoples of the land, to do with them as they wished. / They captured fortified cities and fertile land and took houses full of all goods, wells already dug, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled; they grew fat and delighted in Your great goodness.

Psalm 106:34-36
They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, / but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. / They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.

Isaiah 2:3
And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Luke 6:27
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

Romans 12:20
On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

1 Corinthians 9:19
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? / What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?


Treasury of Scripture

And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? and from from where come you?

Joshua 8:11,23,25,27
And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai…

Genesis 9:25,26
And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren…

Deuteronomy 20:11
And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

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














We are your servants
This phrase is a declaration of submission and humility. In the ancient Near Eastern context, declaring oneself as a servant was a common way to express allegiance and seek protection or favor. The Hebrew word for "servant" is "עֶבֶד" (eved), which can also mean slave or bondservant. This term is used throughout the Old Testament to denote a relationship of service and loyalty, often in a covenantal context. The Gibeonites, who are speaking here, are attempting to deceive Joshua and the Israelites by presenting themselves as humble and subservient, hoping to secure a treaty and avoid destruction. This reflects a broader biblical theme where God’s people are called to discern truth from deception, relying on divine wisdom rather than appearances.

they said to Joshua
The act of speaking to Joshua signifies a direct appeal to the leader of Israel. Joshua, whose name in Hebrew is "יְהוֹשֻׁעַ" (Yehoshua), meaning "Yahweh is salvation," is a central figure in the conquest of Canaan. His leadership is divinely appointed, and he is seen as a type of Christ, leading God’s people into the Promised Land. The Gibeonites’ approach to Joshua underscores the recognition of his authority and the power of Israel under God’s guidance. This interaction highlights the importance of leadership and the responsibility of leaders to seek God’s wisdom in decision-making.

Then Joshua asked them
Joshua’s response is one of inquiry and discernment. The Hebrew verb "שָׁאַל" (sha'al) means to ask, inquire, or consult. This reflects a prudent approach, as Joshua seeks to understand the true identity and intentions of those who claim to be his servants. In the biblical narrative, asking questions is often a means of uncovering truth and gaining insight. Joshua’s questioning is a model for believers to seek understanding and clarity, especially when faced with potential deception or important decisions.

Who are you and where have you come from?
This question is twofold, addressing both identity and origin. The inquiry into "who" they are seeks to uncover their true nature and intentions. The question of "where have you come from" is significant in the context of the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan, as it pertains to the divine command to drive out the inhabitants of the land. The Gibeonites’ response to this question will determine their fate and the Israelites’ course of action. This highlights the biblical principle of knowing the source and background of those we interact with, emphasizing the need for discernment and wisdom in relationships and alliances.

Verse 8. - We are thy servants. This does not mean altogether, as ver. 9 shows, that the Gibeonites intended by this embassy to reduce themselves to servitude. Their object, as Grotius remarks, was rather to form an alliance on terms of something like equality. The phrase was one common in the East as a token of respect (e.g., Genesis 32:4, 18; Genesis 50:18; 2 Kings 10:5; 2 Kings 16:7). But no doubt the Gibeonites (see ver. 11) expected to have a tribute laid on them. And they would willingly accept such an impost, for, as Ewald remarks ( 'History of Israel,' 4:3), their object was "to secure the peace which a mercantile inland city especially requires" (see also note on Joshua 3:10). From whence come ye? Joshua uses the imperfect, not the perfect, tense here. Commentators are divided about its meaning. Some suppose that the perfect, "from whence have ye come?" is mere direct and abrupt than "from whence may you have come?" or, "from whence were you coming?" and certainly an indirect question is in most languages considered more respectful than a direct one (see Genesis 42:7). But perhaps with Ewald we may regard it simply as implying that their mission was still in progress.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“We
אֲנָ֑חְנוּ (’ă·nā·ḥə·nū)
Pronoun - first person common plural
Strong's 587: We

are your servants,”
עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

they said
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Joshua.
יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

Then Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

asked them,
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Who
מִ֥י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

are you
אַתֶּ֖ם (’at·tem)
Pronoun - second person masculine plural
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

and from where
וּמֵאַ֥יִן (ū·mê·’a·yin)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 370: Whence?

have you come?”
תָּבֹֽאוּ׃ (tā·ḇō·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go


Links
Joshua 9:8 NIV
Joshua 9:8 NLT
Joshua 9:8 ESV
Joshua 9:8 NASB
Joshua 9:8 KJV

Joshua 9:8 BibleApps.com
Joshua 9:8 Biblia Paralela
Joshua 9:8 Chinese Bible
Joshua 9:8 French Bible
Joshua 9:8 Catholic Bible

OT History: Joshua 9:8 They said to Joshua We are your (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 9:7
Top of Page
Top of Page