| New American Standard Bible 1995 | NET Bible |
| 1Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, | 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)-- |
| 2that they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. | 2they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3When 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 also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on 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. |
| 5and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. | 5They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard. |
| 6They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now therefore, 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." |
| 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall 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?" |
| 8But they said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Then 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, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the LORD your God; for we have heard the 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 king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at 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. |
| 11"So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; now then, 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."' |
| 12"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. | 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. |
| 13"These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of 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 of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD. | 14The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the LORD's advice. |
| 15Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath 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. |
| 16It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living within their land. | 16Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. |
| 17Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. | 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities--Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. |
| 18The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled 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 the whole congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot 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! |
| 20"This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them." | 20We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them." |
| 21The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them. | 21The leaders then added, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. |
| 22Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land? | 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? |
| 23"Now therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers 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." |
| 24So they answered Joshua and said, "Because it was certainly told your servants 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 before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done 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. |
| 25"Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us." | 25So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. |
| 26Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons 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 hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which He would 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.) |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
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