Joshua 9:1-21

New International Version

The Gibeonite Deception

9 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country,^(A) in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea^(B) as far as Lebanon^(C) (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,^(D) Hivites^(E) and Jebusites)^(F)— ² they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

³ However, when the people of Gibeon^(G) heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,^{(H) 4} they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded^[a] with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. ⁵ They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶ Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal^(I) and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country;^(J) make a treaty^(K) with us.”

⁷ The Israelites said to the Hivites,^(L) “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty^(M) with you?”

⁸ “We are your servants,^(N)” they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

⁹ They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country^(O) because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports^(P) of him: all that he did in Egypt,^{(Q) 10} and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon,^(R) and Og king of Bashan,^(S) who reigned in Ashtaroth.^{(T) 11} And 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 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 And 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.”

¹⁴ The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire^(U) of the Lord. ¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace^(V) with them to let them live,^(W) and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

¹⁶ Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near^(X) them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth^(Y) and Kiriath Jearim.^{(Z) 18} But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath^(AA) to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled^(AB) against the leaders, ¹⁹ but 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 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^(AC) we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(AD) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(AE) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.