| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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, | 1Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things--the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)-- |
| 2they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel. | 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, | 3However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, |
| 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, | 4they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. |
| 5with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. | 5They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. |
| 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.” | 6Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." |
| 7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” | 7The Israelites said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?" |
| 8They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” | 8"We are your servants," they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?" |
| 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, | 9They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, |
| 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. | 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan--Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. |
| 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.”’ | 11And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us."' |
| 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. | 12This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. |
| 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.” | 13And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey." |
| 14So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. | 14The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. |
| 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. | 15Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. |
| 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. | 16Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. |
| 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. | 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. |
| 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. | 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, |
| 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. | 19but all the leaders answered, "We have given them our oath by the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. |
| 20This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.” | 20This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God's wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to 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. | 21They continued, "Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly." So the leaders' promise to them was kept. |
| 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? | 22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us by saying, 'We live a long way from you,' while actually you live near us? |
| 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.” | 23You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." |
| 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. | 24They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. |
| 25And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” | 25We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you." |
| 26So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them. | 26So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. |
| 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. | 27That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the LORD at the place the LORD would choose. And that is what they are to this day. |
| 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. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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