| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now all the kings west of the Jordan River heard about what had happened. These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Lebanon mountains. | 1Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— |
| 2These kings combined their armies to fight as one against Joshua and the Israelites. | 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, | 3But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, |
| 4they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins. | 4acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. |
| 5They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy. | 5They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. |
| 6When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.” | 6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.” |
| 7The Israelites replied to these Hivites, “How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.” | 7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?” |
| 8They replied, “We are your servants.” “But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?” | 8“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?” |
| 9They answered, “Your servants have come from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt. | 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, |
| 10We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth). | 10and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. |
| 11So our elders and all our people instructed us, ‘Take supplies for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and tell them, “We are your servants; please make a treaty with us.”’ | 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.’ |
| 12“This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. | 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 now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.” | 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.” |
| 14So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD. | 14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. |
| 15Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath. | 15And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them. |
| 16Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby! | 16Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. |
| 17The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. | 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. |
| 18But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. | 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. |
| 19But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them. | 19All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. |
| 20This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath. | 20This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.” |
| 21Let them live.” So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed. | 21They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise. |
| 22Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? | 22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? |
| 23May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.” | 23Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” |
| 24They replied, “We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this. | 24The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. |
| 25Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right.” | 25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.” |
| 26So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. | 26So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. |
| 27But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the LORD—wherever the LORD would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day. | 27On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose. |
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