| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 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-- | 1When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan--in the hill country, the lowlands, and all along the Mediterranean coast as far as Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)-- |
| 2they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. | 2they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, | 3When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did 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 did something clever. They collected some provisions and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. |
| 5They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. | 5They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard. |
| 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." | 6They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us." |
| 7The men of Israel replied to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live among us. How can we make a treaty with you?" | 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us. 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?" | 8But they said to Joshua, "We are willing to be your subjects." So Joshua said to them, "Who are you and where do 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 told him, "Your subjects have come from a very distant land because of the reputation of the LORD your God, for we have heard the news about all 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. | 10and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan--King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan 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."' | 11Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, 'Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, "We are willing to be your subjects. 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. | 12This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, but now it is dry and hard. |
| 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." | 13These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey." |
| 14Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD's counsel. | 14The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the LORD's advice. |
| 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. | 15Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath. |
| 16Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them. | 16Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. |
| 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 Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities--Gibeon, Kephirah, 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 Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. The whole community criticized the 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. | 19but all the leaders told the whole community, "We swore an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. So now we can't hurt 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." | 20We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath 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 then added, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. |
| 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 said to them, "Why did you trick us by saying, 'We live far away from you,' when you really live nearby? |
| 23Therefore you are cursed and will always be slaves--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." | 23Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters 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 said to Joshua, "It was carefully reported to your subjects how the LORD your God commanded Moses his servant to assign you the whole land and to destroy all who live in the land from before you. Because of you we were terrified we would lose our lives, so we did this thing. |
| 25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right." | 25So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. |
| 26This is what Joshua did to them: he delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill them. | 26Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing 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. | 27and that day made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of the LORD at the divinely chosen site. (They continue in that capacity to this very day.) |
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