Joshua 9:14
New International Version
The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.

New Living Translation
So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.

English Standard Version
So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

King James Bible
And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

New King James Version
Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.

NASB 1995
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.

NASB 1977
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but they did not ask for the command of Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
So the men [of Israel] took some of their own provisions [and offered them in friendship], and [foolishly] did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s decision.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s counsel.

American Standard Version
And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
The Israelites tried some of the food, but they did not ask the LORD if he wanted them to make a treaty.

English Revised Version
And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The men believed the evidence they were shown, but they did not ask the LORD about it.

Good News Translation
The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the LORD about it.

International Standard Version
So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

NET Bible
The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the LORD's advice.

New Heart English Bible
The men sampled their provisions, and did not ask counsel from the mouth of the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

World English Bible
The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the men take of their provision, and have not asked the mouth of YHWH;

Young's Literal Translation
And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the men will take of their food, and they asked not the mouth of Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth of the Lord.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so they accepted this, because of their provisions, and they did not consult the mouth of the Lord.

New American Bible
Then the Israelite leaders partook of their provisions, without inquiring of the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
So the leaders partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the men took of their provisions and went away, and the Israelites did not ask counsel from the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And these men took from their provisions and they went, and they did not inquire from the mouth of LORD JEHOVAH
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not counsel of the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
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.” 14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. 15And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.…

Cross References
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

James 1:5
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Numbers 27:21
He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.”

1 Samuel 23:2
So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go and attack these Philistines?” And the LORD said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

1 Samuel 30:8
and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”

1 Chronicles 10:13-14
So Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD, because he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, / and he failed to inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Isaiah 30:1-2
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.

Psalm 32:8-9
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you. / Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding; they must be controlled with bit and bridle to make them come to you.

2 Samuel 21:1
During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”

1 Kings 22:5
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

2 Chronicles 18:4
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

Jeremiah 10:23
I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not his own; no one who walks directs his own steps.

Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

John 16:13
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

Acts 13:2-3
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.


Treasury of Scripture

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

the men took of their victuals.

asked not

Exodus 28:30
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

Numbers 27:21
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

Judges 1:1
Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

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Counsel Direction Directions Inquire Israel Mouth Partook Provision Provisions Requesting Victuals
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Counsel Direction Directions Inquire Israel Mouth Partook Provision Provisions Requesting Victuals
Joshua 9
1. The kings combine against Israel
3. The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league
22. They are condemned to perpetual bondage














Then the men of Israel
This phrase refers to the leaders or representatives of the Israelite community. In the context of Joshua 9, the Israelites are in the process of conquering the Promised Land. The "men of Israel" signifies those who were responsible for making decisions on behalf of the people. Historically, these leaders were expected to act with wisdom and discernment, especially in matters of covenant and warfare. Their actions were meant to reflect the will and guidance of God, as they were His chosen people.

sampled their provisions
The Hebrew root for "sampled" can be understood as "taking" or "receiving." This action implies a physical examination or testing of the goods presented by the Gibeonites. The provisions were meant to deceive the Israelites into believing that the Gibeonites came from a distant land. This act of sampling without further inquiry highlights a reliance on human senses and judgment rather than spiritual discernment. It serves as a cautionary tale about the limitations of human perception and the importance of seeking divine guidance.

but did not seek the LORD’s counsel
This phrase is central to the verse and underscores the critical error made by the Israelites. The Hebrew word for "seek" implies an intentional and earnest inquiry. In the context of the Old Testament, seeking the LORD's counsel often involved prayer, consultation with a prophet, or the use of the Urim and Thummim. The failure to seek God's guidance here is a significant oversight, especially given the covenantal nature of the Israelites' relationship with God. This omission serves as a reminder of the necessity of divine guidance in decision-making processes. It reflects a broader biblical principle that human wisdom is insufficient without the insight and direction provided by God. The consequences of this failure are seen later in the chapter, as the Israelites are bound by an oath to the Gibeonites, which complicates their conquest of the land. This teaches the importance of prioritizing spiritual discernment over mere human judgment.

(14) And the men took of their victuals.--And they accepted the men from (the appearance of) their provisions. This, which is the view taken in our marginal reading, seems to be the more probable interpretation, and follows the Targum. "The men" can hardly refer to any one but the ambassadors of the Gibeonites.

Verse 14. - And the men took of their victuals. Most commentators prefer this rendering to that of the margin, "and they received the men because of their victuals." The natural explanation - though several others are given, for which see Keil in loc. - would seem to be that the Israelites relied on the evidence of their senses, instead of upon the counsel of God. They could see the condition of the garments, sacks, and wine skins of the Gibeonites. They tasted of their victuals to convince themselves of the truth of those statements of which the sight was insufficient to take cognisance. And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. Even in the most obvious matter it is well not to trust too implicitly to our own judgment. Nothing could seem more clear or satisfactory than the account given of themselves by the Gibeonites - nothing more easy for the unassisted intellect to decide. And yet Joshua and the congregation were deceived. It is perhaps too much to say, with some commentators - Maurer, for instance - that Joshua disobeyed a plain command in acting thus. The passage in which Joshua is instructed to "stand up before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him at the judgment of Urim before the Lord" (Numbers 27:18-23), does not require him to do so in all cases. But it was clearly "an act of gross carelessness" (Calvin). And the inference may safely be drawn that in no case whatever is it wise to trust to ourselves. However obvious our course may be, we shall do well to take counsel with God by prayer.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the men of Israel
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (hā·’ă·nā·šîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582: Man, mankind

sampled
וַיִּקְח֥וּ (way·yiq·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

their provisions,
מִצֵּידָ֑ם (miṣ·ṣê·ḏām)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6718: The chase, game, lunch

but did not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

seek
שָׁאָֽלוּ׃ (šā·’ā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

the counsel
פִּ֥י (pî)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6310: The mouth, edge, portion, side, according to

of the LORD.
יְהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: Joshua 9:14 The men sampled their provisions and didn't (Josh. Jos)
Joshua 9:13
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