| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1When all the kings heard about Jericho and Ai, those who were west of the Jordan in the hill country, in the Judean foothills, and all along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon--the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-- | 1Eventually all the kings who reigned in the hill country across the Jordan River and in the low-lying coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea facing Lebanon heard about this. So the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites |
| 2they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. | 2united together as one to fight against both Joshua and Israel. |
| 3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, | 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, |
| 4they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. | 4they took the initiative by preparing their provisions shrewdly: they took tattered sacks for their donkeys, worn-out, torn, and mended wineskins, |
| 5They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. | 5worn-out, patched sandals for their feet, and worn-out clothes. All of their food was dried out and covered in mold. |
| 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." | 6Then they approached Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and addressed him and the Israelis, "We've arrived from a distant country, so please make a treaty with us right now." |
| 7The men of Israel replied to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live among us. How can we make a treaty with you?" | 7But the Israelis responded to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live in our midst. If this is so, how can we make a treaty with you?" |
| 8They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Then Joshua asked them, "Who are you and where do you come from?" | 8So they responded to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? And where did you come from?" |
| 9They replied to him, "Your servants have come from a far away land because of the reputation of the LORD your God. For we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, | 9They answered, "Your servants have arrived from a very distant land, because of the reputation of the LORD your God, because we've heard a report about all that he did in Egypt, |
| 10and all that He did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan--Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth. | 10along with all of what he did to the two Amorite kings who were beyond the Jordan River—that is, to King Sihon of Heshbon and to King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. |
| 11So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, 'Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, "We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us."' | 11So our leaders and all of the inhabitants of our country told us, 'Take provisions along with you for your journey, go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Come now and make a treaty with us."' |
| 12This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and crumbly. | 12Look at our bread: it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for our journey on the very day we set out to come to you. But now, look how it's dry and moldy. |
| 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey." | 13And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look—now they're cracked. And our clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey." |
| 14Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD's counsel. | 14So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it. |
| 15So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them. | 15They made a treaty with them, guaranteeing their lives with a covenant, and the leaders of the congregation confirmed it with an oath to them. |
| 16Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them. | 16But three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and were living in their midst. |
| 17So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. | 17So the Israelis set out for their cities and three days later they reached their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. |
| 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders. | 18The Israelis did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had made an oath with them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the entire congregation grumbled against their leaders. |
| 19All the leaders answered them, "We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. | 19Then all of the leaders spoke to the entire congregation, "We have sworn to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them. |
| 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." | 20So this is what we'll do to them: we'll let them live, so that wrath won't come upon us because of the oath that we swore to them." |
| 21They also said, "Let them live." So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them. | 21The leaders told them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the entire congregation, which is what the leaders had decided concerning them. |
| 22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, "Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? | 22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, "Why did you deceive us by saying 'We live far away from you,' even though you were, in fact, living in our midst? |
| 23Therefore you are cursed and will always be slaves--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." | 23Now therefore you are under a curse. Some of you will always be slaves, wood cutters, and water carriers for the house of my God." |
| 24The Gibeonites answered him, "It was clearly communicated to 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. We greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. | 24They replied to Joshua, "Because your servants had been informed that the LORD your God had certainly commanded his servant Moses to give you the entire land and to destroy all of the inhabitants of the land before you. So we were terrified for our lives because of you. That's why we did this. |
| 25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right." | 25Now we're under your control: do to us as it seems good and right in your opinion." |
| 26This is what Joshua did to them: he delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill them. | 26So this is what Joshua did for them: he saved them from the Israelis, and they did not kill them. |
| 27On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers--as they are today--for the community and for the LORD's altar at the place He would choose. | 27However, on that very day Joshua made them become wood cutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the LORD's altar in the place that he should choose, and this tradition continues to this day. |
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