| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New International Version |
| 1Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, | 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)-- |
| 2that they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel. | 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. |
| 3When 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 also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on 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. |
| 5and 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. | 5They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. |
| 6They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now therefore, 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." |
| 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall 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?" |
| 8But they said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Then 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, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the LORD your God; for we have heard the 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 king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at 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. |
| 11"So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; now then, 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."' |
| 12"This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. | 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. |
| 13"These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of 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 of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD. | 14The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. |
| 15Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath 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. |
| 16It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living within their land. | 16Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. |
| 17Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. | 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. |
| 18The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled 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 the whole congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot 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. |
| 20"This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which 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." |
| 21The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to 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. |
| 22Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land? | 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? |
| 23"Now therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers 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." |
| 24So they answered Joshua and said, "Because it was certainly told 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; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done 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. |
| 25"Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us." | 25We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you." |
| 26Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons 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 hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which He would 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. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | 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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