| New King James Version | English 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, | 1As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, |
| 2that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord. | 2they gathered together as one to fight against 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 to 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 on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, |
| 5old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. | 5with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. |
| 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.” | 6And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” |
| 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 men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant 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?” | 8They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do 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 said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard a 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 Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. | 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king 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 elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant 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. | 12Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. |
| 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.” | 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” |
| 14Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the LORD. | 14So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. |
| 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. | 15And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore 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. | 16At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. |
| 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. | 17And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were 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. | 18But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the 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. | 19But all the leaders said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we may not 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.” | 20This we will do to them: let them live, lest wrath be 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.” | 21And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said of 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 them, and he said to them, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you dwell among us? |
| 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 cursed, and some of you shall never be anything but servants, cutters of wood and drawers of water 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 answered Joshua, “Because it was told to your servants for a certainty 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 from before you—so we feared greatly for our lives because of you and did this thing. |
| 25And now, here we are, in your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.” | 25And now, behold, we are in your hand. Whatever seems good and right in your sight to do to us, do it.” |
| 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 he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, 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. | 27But Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place that he should choose. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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