New King James Version | International Standard Version |
1And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it, | 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 |
2that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord. | 2united together as one to fight against both Joshua and Israel. |
3But when 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 worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, | 4they took the initiative by preparing their provisions shrewdly: they took tattered sacks for their donkeys, worn-out, torn, and mended wineskins, |
5old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. | 5worn-out, patched sandals for their feet, and worn-out clothes. All of their food was dried out and covered in mold. |
6And they 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 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." |
7Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so how can we make a covenant 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?" |
8But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to 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?" |
9So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name 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 kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at 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. |
11Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant 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 we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. | 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. |
13And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very 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 they did not ask counsel of the LORD. | 14So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it. |
15So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore 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. |
16And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near 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. |
17Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath 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 children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers. | 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. |
19Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore, we may not 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 we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which 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." |
21And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers 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. |
22Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell near 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? |
23Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being 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." |
24So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. | 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. |
25And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” | 25Now we're under your control: do to us as it seems good and right in your opinion." |
26So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that 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. |
27And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day. | 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. |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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