Context 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, 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. 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. 7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall we make a covenant 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? 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, 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. 11So 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. 12This 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. 13These 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. 14So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 20This 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. 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. 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? 23Now 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. 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. 25Now behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us. 26Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, 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. Parallel Verses American Standard Versionthey also did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up, Douay-Rheims Bible Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again, Darby Bible Translation then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up; English Revised Version they also did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wineskins, old and rent and bound up; Webster's Bible Translation They did work craftily, and went and made as if they had been embassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; World English Bible they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up, Young's Literal Translation and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up, Library Of a Good Government in External Things, and of Having Recourse to God in Dangers"My Son, for this thou must diligently make thy endeavour, that in every place and outward action or occupation thou mayest be free within, and have power over thyself; and that all things be under thee, not thou under them; that thou be master and ruler of thy actions, not a slave or hireling, but rather a free and true Hebrew, entering into the lot and the liberty of the children of God, who stand above the present and look upon the eternal, who with the left eye behold things transitory, and with … Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ Letters of St. Bernard Conflicts with Giant Mistake Being Made Archbishop of Armagh, He Suffers Many Troubles. Peace Being Made, from Being Archbishop of Armagh He Becomes Bishop of Down. Joshua Links Joshua 9:4 NIV • Joshua 9:4 NLT • Joshua 9:4 ESV • Joshua 9:4 NASB • Joshua 9:4 KJV • Joshua 9:4 Bible Apps • Joshua 9:4 Parallel • Bible Hub |