New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Joshua 9
1
All of the kings who ruled west of the Jordan River heard about the battles Israel had won. That included the kings who ruled in the central hill country and the western hills. It also included those who ruled along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea all the way to Lebanon. They were the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
Reference
2
They brought their armies together to fight against Joshua and Israel.
4
So they decided to trick the people of Israel. They packed supplies as if they were going on a long trip. They loaded their donkeys with old sacks and old wineskins. The wineskins were cracked but had been mended.
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5
The men put worn-out sandals on their feet. The sandals had been patched. The men also wore old clothes. All of the bread they took along was dry and moldy.
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Parallel theme
Luke 15:22
6
They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal. They spoke to him and the men of Israel. They said, "We've come from a country that's far away. Make a peace treaty with us."
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7
The men of Israel spoke to the Hivites. They said, "But suppose you live close to us. If you do, we can't make a peace treaty with you."
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8
"We'll serve you," they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"
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9
They answered, "We've come from a country that's very far away. We've come because the Lord your God is famous. We've heard reports about him. We've heard about everything he did in Egypt.
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10
"We've heard about everything he did to Sihon and Og. They were the two kings of the Amorites. They ruled east of the Jordan River. Sihon was the king of Heshbon. Og was the king of Bashan. He ruled in Ashtaroth.
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11
"Our elders and all of the people who are living in our country spoke to us. They said, 'Take supplies for your trip. Go and meet the people of Israel. Say to them, "We'll serve you. Make a peace treaty with us." '
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12
"Look at our bread. It was warm when we packed it. We packed it at home on the day we left to come and see you. But look at how dry and moldy it is now.
13
When we filled these wineskins, they were new. But look at how cracked they are now. And our clothes and sandals are worn out because we've traveled so far."
14
The men of Israel looked over the supplies those men had brought. But they didn't ask the Lord what they should do.
Reference
Parallel theme
James 1:5
Ezra 8:21
References Lord
Numbers 27:21
Judges 1:1
2 Samuel 5:19
Judges 20:28
2 Samuel 2:1
Judges 20:18
15
Joshua made a peace treaty with the men who had come. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community took an oath to show that they agreed with the treaty.
Reference
16
The people of Israel made a peace treaty with the people of Gibeon. But three days later they heard that the people of Gibeon lived close to them.
17
So the people of Israel started out to go to the cities of those men. On the third day they came to Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.
Reference
📍 Locations
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:25
18
But they didn't attack those cities. That's because the leaders of the community had taken an oath and made a peace treaty with them. They had taken the oath in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. The whole community told the leaders they weren't happy with them.
Reference
References Lord
Psalm 15:4
19
But all of the leaders answered, "We've made a peace treaty with them. We've taken an oath in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. So we can't touch them now.
20
"But here is what we'll do to them. We'll let them live. Then the Lord's anger won't fall on us because we didn't keep the oath we took."
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21
They continued, "Let them live. But let them cut wood and carry water for the whole community." So the leaders kept their promise to them.
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22
Joshua sent for the people of Gibeon. He said, "Why did you trick us? You said, 'We live far away from you.' But in fact you live close to us.
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23
So now you are under a curse. You will always serve us. You will always cut wood and carry water for the house of my God."
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24
They answered Joshua, "We were clearly told what the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to do. He commanded him to give you the whole land. He also ordered him to wipe out all of its people to make room for you. So we were afraid you would kill us. That's why we tricked you.
26
So Joshua saved the people of Gibeon. He didn't let the people of Israel kill them.
27
That day he made them cut wood and carry water. They had to serve the community of Israel. They also had to serve at the altar of the Lord at the place where he would choose to put it. And they still serve the people of Israel to this very day.
Reference
References Lord
Deuteronomy 12:5
Chapter Summary
Joshua chapter 9 contains the account of how the Gibeonites tricked Israel into making a treaty with them. The chapter reveals how the surrounding nations responded to Israel's conquests and the decision Israel made without first seeking the Lord's counsel. The chapter also shows how Joshua dealt with those who tricked him and how the Gibeonites were brought under Israel's authority.
The news of Israel's successes had reached the nations in Canaan. The kings west of the Jordan River had heard what Joshua had done at Jericho and Ai. Therefore, several nations joined together and prepared to fight against Israel.
The nations named are the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. As Israel had crossed the Jordan River and captured two significant cities, the nations of Canaan were preparing for a battle.
The people of Gibeon had a different strategy. They did not prepare to fight, but they decided to trick Joshua and the Israelites. The Gibeonites sent messengers to Joshua and his men.
The Gibeonites had taken care to dress in a certain way in order to tell a particular story. They brought old sacks and wineskins, worn-out sandals, and rough clothing. Their food was broken and dry. They wanted the Israelites to believe that they were people who had come a long distance.
The messengers arrived at the Israelite camp in Gilgal and told Joshua that they had come from afar. They asked Israel to make a treaty with them and said that they had heard about the name of the Lord and what He had done in Egypt.
They spoke of the victories over Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan. Significantly, they did not mention the recent victories at Jericho and Ai. Their story was that they were strangers who had heard about the power of the God of Israel.
They showed the Israelites the food and clothing that they had with them. In doing so, the Gibeonites said that the food had been fresh when they left home.
The Israelites considered what they had heard and saw. However, they made a hasty decision. The chapter states that the Israelites did not consult the Lord.
Therefore, Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites and allowed them to live. The leaders of Israel also took an oath to keep their agreement with them.
However, after three days, the Israelites learned the truth about the Gibeonites. They had not been strangers. The city of Gibeon was near Israel's land. The people of Gibeon had tricked the Israelites because they were afraid of the power of Israel.
The Israelites traveled to Gibeon and arrived in the cities of Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. They learned that the people of these cities had lived near them all along.
The trick that the people of Gibeon had played on the Israelites led to frustration. The people wanted to attack Gibeon, but the leaders had vowed to keep their treaty with the Gibeonites. The leaders of Israel told the people that they had made a vow to the Lord, and they had to keep their promise.
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and confronted them about their trickery. The Gibeonites said that they had feared that the Israelites would kill them and their people. They told Joshua that they had heard about the power of His God and had thought that they would be defeated if they faced Israel's men.
Joshua told them that their deception would be punished. Because they had tricked Israel, the Gibeonites would not be destroyed. However, they would always be servants to the people of Israel and cut firewood and water for them and the Lord's altar.
The Gibeonites accepted this punishment because they thought that they would have been killed if they had not deceived the Israelites.
The chapter ends with the Gibeonites living as servants in Israel. The cities of Gibeon and the surrounding land had not been destroyed, and the leaders of Israel's treaty was kept.
One of the important lessons that we can take from Joshua 9 is that the Israelites did not consult the Lord before making the covenant with the Gibeonites. Their decision to make a treaty seemed wise. After what Joshua had said, it is difficult to accuse the Israelites of not knowing what the Gibeonites were saying.
However, the people of Israel saw what they wanted to see instead of asking the Lord for counsel. The chapter does not indicate that the Israelites did not know the truth. They had been given enough evidence to ask further questions before they made the covenant.
The story of the Gibeonites reveals the seriousness of an oath. The decision of the leaders of Israel to make a treaty with them had been made hastily. However, when the leaders discovered that Gibeon was near Israel, they did not undo their oath.
They realized that what they said before the Lord had power. The truth was that it was not the Gibeonites who had crossed the Jordan, but the Israelites who had conquered the nations west of the river.
This chapter also shows how the nations of Canaan reacted to Israel's successes. Several kings prepared to fight the Israelites, while Gibeon had chosen a different strategy. Each nation had been afraid of Israel's God. The Amorites had prepared for battle, and the Gibeonites had chosen to trick Israel's spies.
The Gibeonites' strategy had been a successful one because they and their land had not been destroyed. However, they had lost their independence, and they would always be servants to the people of Israel.
Joshua 9 prepares the reader for what will happen in the next chapter. The people of Gibeon had made a treaty with Israel. Therefore, the kings of the surrounding nations would be even more determined to fight Israel. The covenant that Joshua and the leaders of Israel had made with the Gibeonites would be the cause for the battles mentioned in the next chapter.
At the end of chapter 9, Israel had gained more inhabitants in the land that they had conquered. However, they had not gained complete victory because the Gibeonites had tricked them. The Israelites had made a treaty that bound them to protect Gibeon and its people. The chapter of Joshua 9 is a story of deception, decisions, promises, and consequences. The Israelites had witnessed the power of God at Jericho and Ai, but the chapter shows that they had forgotten that they needed to seek His counsel in all that they did. The Israelites saw what they wanted to see, and they made a covenant that they would regret. The story of Joshua chapter 9 reveals that what people think they know may not be the truth, and the decisions that people make can have far-reaching consequences.
The news of Israel's successes had reached the nations in Canaan. The kings west of the Jordan River had heard what Joshua had done at Jericho and Ai. Therefore, several nations joined together and prepared to fight against Israel.
The nations named are the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. As Israel had crossed the Jordan River and captured two significant cities, the nations of Canaan were preparing for a battle.
The people of Gibeon had a different strategy. They did not prepare to fight, but they decided to trick Joshua and the Israelites. The Gibeonites sent messengers to Joshua and his men.
The Gibeonites had taken care to dress in a certain way in order to tell a particular story. They brought old sacks and wineskins, worn-out sandals, and rough clothing. Their food was broken and dry. They wanted the Israelites to believe that they were people who had come a long distance.
The messengers arrived at the Israelite camp in Gilgal and told Joshua that they had come from afar. They asked Israel to make a treaty with them and said that they had heard about the name of the Lord and what He had done in Egypt.
They spoke of the victories over Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan. Significantly, they did not mention the recent victories at Jericho and Ai. Their story was that they were strangers who had heard about the power of the God of Israel.
They showed the Israelites the food and clothing that they had with them. In doing so, the Gibeonites said that the food had been fresh when they left home.
The Israelites considered what they had heard and saw. However, they made a hasty decision. The chapter states that the Israelites did not consult the Lord.
Therefore, Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites and allowed them to live. The leaders of Israel also took an oath to keep their agreement with them.
However, after three days, the Israelites learned the truth about the Gibeonites. They had not been strangers. The city of Gibeon was near Israel's land. The people of Gibeon had tricked the Israelites because they were afraid of the power of Israel.
The Israelites traveled to Gibeon and arrived in the cities of Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. They learned that the people of these cities had lived near them all along.
The trick that the people of Gibeon had played on the Israelites led to frustration. The people wanted to attack Gibeon, but the leaders had vowed to keep their treaty with the Gibeonites. The leaders of Israel told the people that they had made a vow to the Lord, and they had to keep their promise.
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and confronted them about their trickery. The Gibeonites said that they had feared that the Israelites would kill them and their people. They told Joshua that they had heard about the power of His God and had thought that they would be defeated if they faced Israel's men.
Joshua told them that their deception would be punished. Because they had tricked Israel, the Gibeonites would not be destroyed. However, they would always be servants to the people of Israel and cut firewood and water for them and the Lord's altar.
The Gibeonites accepted this punishment because they thought that they would have been killed if they had not deceived the Israelites.
The chapter ends with the Gibeonites living as servants in Israel. The cities of Gibeon and the surrounding land had not been destroyed, and the leaders of Israel's treaty was kept.
One of the important lessons that we can take from Joshua 9 is that the Israelites did not consult the Lord before making the covenant with the Gibeonites. Their decision to make a treaty seemed wise. After what Joshua had said, it is difficult to accuse the Israelites of not knowing what the Gibeonites were saying.
However, the people of Israel saw what they wanted to see instead of asking the Lord for counsel. The chapter does not indicate that the Israelites did not know the truth. They had been given enough evidence to ask further questions before they made the covenant.
The story of the Gibeonites reveals the seriousness of an oath. The decision of the leaders of Israel to make a treaty with them had been made hastily. However, when the leaders discovered that Gibeon was near Israel, they did not undo their oath.
They realized that what they said before the Lord had power. The truth was that it was not the Gibeonites who had crossed the Jordan, but the Israelites who had conquered the nations west of the river.
This chapter also shows how the nations of Canaan reacted to Israel's successes. Several kings prepared to fight the Israelites, while Gibeon had chosen a different strategy. Each nation had been afraid of Israel's God. The Amorites had prepared for battle, and the Gibeonites had chosen to trick Israel's spies.
The Gibeonites' strategy had been a successful one because they and their land had not been destroyed. However, they had lost their independence, and they would always be servants to the people of Israel.
Joshua 9 prepares the reader for what will happen in the next chapter. The people of Gibeon had made a treaty with Israel. Therefore, the kings of the surrounding nations would be even more determined to fight Israel. The covenant that Joshua and the leaders of Israel had made with the Gibeonites would be the cause for the battles mentioned in the next chapter.
At the end of chapter 9, Israel had gained more inhabitants in the land that they had conquered. However, they had not gained complete victory because the Gibeonites had tricked them. The Israelites had made a treaty that bound them to protect Gibeon and its people. The chapter of Joshua 9 is a story of deception, decisions, promises, and consequences. The Israelites had witnessed the power of God at Jericho and Ai, but the chapter shows that they had forgotten that they needed to seek His counsel in all that they did. The Israelites saw what they wanted to see, and they made a covenant that they would regret. The story of Joshua chapter 9 reveals that what people think they know may not be the truth, and the decisions that people make can have far-reaching consequences.