| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, | 1When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan--in the hill country, the lowlands, and all along the Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)-- |
| 2they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel. | 2they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, | 3When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai, |
| 4they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, | 4they did something clever. They collected some provisions and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. |
| 5with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. | 5They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard. |
| 6And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” | 6They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us." |
| 7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” | 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?" |
| 8They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” | 8But 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?" |
| 9They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, | 9They told him, "Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the LORD your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt |
| 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. | 10and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan--King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth. |
| 11So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ | 11Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, 'Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, "We are willing to be your subjects. Make a treaty with us."' |
| 12Here 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. | 12This 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. |
| 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” | 13These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey." |
| 14So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. | 14The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the LORD's advice. |
| 15And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them. | 15Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath. |
| 16At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. | 16Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. |
| 17And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. | 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities--Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. |
| 18But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. | 18The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. The whole community criticized the leaders, |
| 19But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them. | 19but all the leaders told the whole community, "We swore an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. So now we can't hurt them! |
| 20This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.” | 20We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them." |
| 21And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of them. | 21The leaders then added, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. |
| 22Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? | 22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, "Why did you trick us by saying, 'We live far away from you,' when you really live nearby? |
| 23Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” | 23Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." |
| 24They answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. | 24They said to Joshua, "It was carefully reported to your subjects how the LORD your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified we would lose our lives, so we did this thing. |
| 25And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” | 25So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. |
| 26So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. | 26Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them |
| 27But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that he should choose. | 27and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.) |
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