| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1Eventually all the kings who reigned in the hill country across the Jordan River and in the low-lying coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea facing Lebanon heard about this. So the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites | 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, |
| 2united together as one to fight against both Joshua and Israel. | 2they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, | 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, |
| 4they took the initiative by preparing their provisions shrewdly: they took tattered sacks for their donkeys, worn-out, torn, and mended wineskins, | 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, |
| 5worn-out, patched sandals for their feet, and worn-out clothes. All of their food was dried out and covered in mold. | 5with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. |
| 6Then they approached Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and addressed him and the Israelis, "We've arrived from a distant country, so please make a treaty with us right now." | 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.” |
| 7But the Israelis responded to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live in our midst. If this is so, how can we make a treaty with you?" | 7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” |
| 8So they responded to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? And where did you come from?" | 8They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” |
| 9They answered, "Your servants have arrived from a very distant land, because of the reputation of the LORD your God, because we've heard a report about all that he did in Egypt, | 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, |
| 10along with all of what he did to the two Amorite kings who were beyond the Jordan River—that is, to King Sihon of Heshbon and to King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. | 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. |
| 11So our leaders and all of the inhabitants of our country told us, 'Take provisions along with you for your journey, go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Come now and make a treaty with us."' | 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.”’ |
| 12Look 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. | 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. |
| 13And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look—now they're cracked. And our clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey." | 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.” |
| 14So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it. | 14So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. |
| 15They made a treaty with them, guaranteeing their lives with a covenant, and the leaders of the congregation confirmed it with an oath to them. | 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. |
| 16But three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and were living in their midst. | 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. |
| 17So the Israelis set out for their cities and three days later they reached their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. | 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. |
| 18The Israelis did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had made an oath with them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the entire congregation grumbled against their leaders. | 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. |
| 19Then all of the leaders spoke to the entire congregation, "We have sworn to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them. | 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. |
| 20So this is what we'll do to them: we'll let them live, so that wrath won't come upon us because of the oath that we swore to them." | 20This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.” |
| 21The leaders told them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the entire congregation, which is what the leaders had decided concerning 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. |
| 22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, "Why did you deceive us by saying 'We live far away from you,' even though you were, in fact, living in our midst? | 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? |
| 23Now therefore you are under a curse. Some of you will always be slaves, wood cutters, and water carriers for the house of my God." | 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.” |
| 24They replied to Joshua, "Because your servants had been informed that the LORD your God had certainly commanded his servant Moses to give you the entire land and to destroy all of the inhabitants of the land before you. So we were terrified for our lives because of you. That's why we did this. | 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. |
| 25Now we're under your control: do to us as it seems good and right in your opinion." | 25And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” |
| 26So this is what Joshua did for them: he saved them from the Israelis, and they did not kill them. | 26So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. |
| 27However, on that very day Joshua made them become wood cutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the LORD's altar in the place that he should choose, and this tradition continues to this day. | 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. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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