| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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)-- | 1Now all the kings west of the Jordan River heard about what had happened. These were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, who lived in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Lebanon mountains. |
| 2they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. | 2These kings combined their armies to fight as one against Joshua and the Israelites. |
| 3When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho and Ai, | 3But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, |
| 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. | 4they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins. |
| 5They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread was dry and hard. | 5They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy. |
| 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." | 6When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.” |
| 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us. So how can we make a treaty with you?" | 7The Israelites replied to these Hivites, “How do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.” |
| 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?" | 8They replied, “We are your servants.” “But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?” |
| 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 | 9They answered, “Your servants have come from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt. |
| 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. | 10We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth). |
| 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."' | 11So our elders and all our people instructed us, ‘Take supplies for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and tell them, “We are your servants; please make a treaty with us.”’ |
| 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. | 12“This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy. |
| 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." | 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, but now they are old and split open. And our clothing and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.” |
| 14The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the LORD's advice. | 14So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD. |
| 15Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath. | 15Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath. |
| 16Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. | 16Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby! |
| 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities--Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. | 17The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. |
| 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, | 18But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty. |
| 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! | 19But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them. |
| 20We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them." | 20This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath. |
| 21The leaders then added, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. | 21Let them live.” So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed. |
| 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? | 22Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? |
| 23Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." | 23May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.” |
| 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. | 24They replied, “We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this. |
| 25So now we are in your power. Do to us what you think is good and appropriate. | 25Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right.” |
| 26Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them | 26So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. |
| 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.) | 27But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the LORD—wherever the LORD would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day. |
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