Joshua 9:5
New International Version
They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.

New Living Translation
They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy.

English Standard Version
with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly.

Berean Standard Bible
They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.

King James Bible
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

New King James Version
old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

New American Standard Bible
and 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.

NASB 1995
and 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.

NASB 1977
and 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was crumbled.

Amplified Bible
and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their supply of food was dry and had turned to crumbs.

Christian Standard Bible
They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly.

American Standard Version
and old and patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become mouldy.

Contemporary English Version
Their sandals were old and patched, and their clothes were worn out. They even took along some dry and crumbly bread.

English Revised Version
and old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become mouldy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Their sandals were worn-out and repaired, and their clothes were tattered. All their bread was dried out and crumbling.

Good News Translation
They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. The bread they took with them was dry and moldy.

International Standard Version
worn-out, patched sandals for their feet, and worn-out clothes. All of their food was dried out and covered in mold.

Majority Standard Bible
They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.

NET Bible
They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard.

New Heart English Bible
and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

Webster's Bible Translation
And old shoes and patched upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

World English Bible
and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments on them, and all the bread of their provision is dry—it was crumbs.

Young's Literal Translation
and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry -- it was crumbs.

Smith's Literal Translation
And shoes worn out and mended, upon their feet, and garments worn out upon them; and all the bread of their food dry; it was crumbs.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And very old shoes, which for a show of age were clouted with patches, and old garments upon them: the leaves also, which they carried for provisions by the way, were hard, and broken into pieces:

Catholic Public Domain Version
and having very old shoes, which had been sewn with patches indicating their age, and being clothed in old garments, having also loaves, which they carried as food for the journey, which were hard and broken into pieces.

New American Bible
They wore old, patched sandals and shabby garments; and all the bread they took was dry and crumbly.

New Revised Standard Version
with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their provisions were dry and moldy.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They put on old shoes, or bound their feet with sandals, and dressed in old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And shoes that were worn out and sandals were bound on their feet and they were wearing old robes and the loaves of bread of their provisions were dried up and it was moldy
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
and worn shoes and clouted upon their feet, and worn garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become crumbs.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them - and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
4acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. 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.”…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 29:5
For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.

1 Samuel 21:5-6
David answered, “Women have indeed been kept from us, as is usual when I set out. And the bodies of the young men are holy even on common missions. How much more so today!” / So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there but the Bread of the Presence, which had been removed from before the LORD and replaced with hot bread on the day it was taken away.

Matthew 9:16-17
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. For the patch will pull away from the garment, and a worse tear will result. / Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Mark 2:21-22
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result. / And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.”

Luke 5:36-39
He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will tear the new garment as well, and the patch from the new will not match the old. / And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. / Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins. ...

2 Samuel 12:20
Then David got up from the ground, washed and anointed himself, changed his clothes, and went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they set food before him, and he ate.

1 Kings 13:18
Then the prophet replied, “I too am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, so that he may eat bread and drink water.’” The old prophet was lying to him,

2 Kings 5:5-7
“Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing. / And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” / When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see that he is seeking a quarrel with me!”

Nehemiah 9:21
For forty years You sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Isaiah 3:22
their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses;

Jeremiah 38:10-12
So the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and pull Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” / Then Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the king’s palace, to a place below the storehouse. From there he took old rags and worn-out clothes and lowered them with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. / Ebed-melech the Cushite cried out to Jeremiah, “Put these worn-out rags and clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so,

Ezekiel 44:17-18
When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen garments; they must not wear anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple. / They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.

Hosea 7:8-9
Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake. / Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.


Treasury of Scripture

And old shoes and clouted on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

old shoes

Joshua 9:13
And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Deuteronomy 29:5
And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.

Deuteronomy 33:25
Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

Jump to Previous
Backs Bread Clothes Clothing Crumbled Crumbs Dry Moldy Mouldy Patched Provision Provisions Sandals Shoes Themselves Wore Worn Worn-Out
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Backs Bread Clothes Clothing Crumbled Crumbs Dry Moldy Mouldy Patched Provision Provisions Sandals Shoes Themselves Wore Worn Worn-Out
Joshua 9
1. The kings combine against Israel
3. The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league
22. They are condemned to perpetual bondage














They put worn-out sacks
The phrase "worn-out sacks" signifies a deliberate attempt to deceive. In the Hebrew context, the word for "worn-out" (בָּלוֹת, balot) implies something that has been used to the point of exhaustion. This imagery of worn-out sacks suggests a strategic plan by the Gibeonites to appear as if they had traveled from a distant land. The use of such items reflects a common practice in ancient times where travelers would carry their provisions in sacks. The Gibeonites' choice to use worn-out sacks was a calculated move to gain sympathy and trust from the Israelites, highlighting the theme of deception and the lengths to which people will go to protect themselves.

on their donkeys
Donkeys were a common mode of transportation and beasts of burden in the ancient Near East. The mention of donkeys here underscores the authenticity of the Gibeonites' ruse. In biblical times, donkeys were often associated with peace and humility, contrasting with horses, which were symbols of war. The use of donkeys by the Gibeonites could symbolize their peaceful intentions, albeit under false pretenses. This detail adds to the narrative's depth, showing how appearances can be deceiving and how the Israelites were misled by what seemed to be a humble delegation.

and old wineskins
Wineskins were essential for storing and transporting liquids, particularly wine, in ancient times. The term "old" (נִקְרָעִים, niqra'im) suggests that these wineskins were not only aged but also worn to the point of being unreliable. The Gibeonites' use of old wineskins was another element of their deception, as it would have been expected that travelers from afar would have such worn provisions. This choice reflects the broader biblical theme of the new versus the old, where new wineskins are needed for new wine, as Jesus later teaches in the New Testament. Here, the old wineskins symbolize the outdated and deceptive practices of the Gibeonites.

cracked and mended
The description "cracked and mended" (מְבֻקָּעִים וּמְצֻרָּפִים, mebuqa'im u'metzurafim) paints a vivid picture of the wineskins' condition, emphasizing their age and the care taken to repair them. This detail highlights the Gibeonites' thoroughness in their deception, as they not only used old items but also ensured they appeared to have been used and repaired over time. The act of mending suggests a resourcefulness and determination to survive, which can be seen as both a negative trait, in terms of deceit, and a positive one, in terms of perseverance. This duality invites reflection on the nature of human actions and the motivations behind them, encouraging believers to seek wisdom and discernment in their own lives.

(5) Clouted--i.e., patched.

Verse 5. - Shoes. Literally, things tied on; i.e., sandals, attached with straps to the sole of the foot. Clouted, i.e., patched. The intensive Pual suggests that they were very much patched. The participle Kal is translated "spotted" in Genesis 30:32, 33, 35. Mouldy. נִקֻּדִים literally, marked with points, i.e., mildewed, Provision צֵידָם. "Proprie vendtionem" (Vatablus). "Panis enim mucidus punctis respersus est albis viridibus et nigris" (Rabbi David, in libro Radicum). So the LXX., Theodotion, and Luther. This gives a better sense and more according to the derivation than the interpretation crumbs of bread, given by Gesenius and Keil, after Aquila, Symmachus, and the Vulgate, which has "in fustra comminuti." The cracknels (the same word in Hebrew as here) in 1 Kings 14:3 were probably biscuits marked with points by a sharp pointed instrument, in the same way as the Jewish passover cakes are at the present day.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They put worn,
בָּל֤וֹת (bā·lō·wṯ)
Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 1087: Worn out

patched
וּמְטֻלָּאוֹת֙ (ū·mə·ṭul·lā·’ō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 2921: To cover with pieces, to spot, variegate

sandals
וּנְעָל֨וֹת (ū·nə·‘ā·lō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5275: A sandal tongue, a sandal, slipper

on their feet
בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם (bə·raḡ·lê·hem)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

and threadbare
בָּל֖וֹת (bā·lō·wṯ)
Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 1087: Worn out

clothing
וּשְׂלָמ֥וֹת (ū·śə·lā·mō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8008: A wrapper, mantle

on [their bodies],
עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (‘ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and their whole
וְכֹל֙ (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

supply
צֵידָ֔ם (ṣê·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6720: Provision, food

of bread
לֶ֣חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

was dry
יָבֵ֖שׁ (yā·ḇêš)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3001: To be ashamed, confused, disappointed, to dry up, wither

[and] moldy.
נִקֻּדִֽים׃ (niq·qu·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5350: Perhaps what is crumbled or easily crumbles, crumbs


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OT History: Joshua 9:5 And old and patched shoes on their (Josh. Jos)
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