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Joshua

Joshuachapter 9

27 verses · BSBJoshua book hub →

A.Moldy bread and worn shoes: the Gibeonite rusevv. 1-15

1 Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel. 3 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. 6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?” 8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?” 9 “Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please 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 take a look, it is now dry and moldy. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.” 14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. 15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

B.The fraud found out, the oath still bindingvv. 16-21

16 Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

C.Hewers of wood and drawers of watervv. 22-27

22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” 24 The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. 25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.” 26 So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. 27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

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Chapter summary

The Gibeonites, hearing what befell Jericho and Ai, take the one road left: deception.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

The Gibeonites, hearing what befell Jericho and Ai, take the one road left: deception. They arrive in worn shoes and patched garments, with rent wine-skins and dry, moldy bread, claiming a very far country, and ask a covenant. The narrator plants the verdict in a single line, the men of Israel took of their provisions, 'and asked not counsel at the mouth of Jehovah' (9:14). Three days later the fraud surfaces, but the oath sworn by Jehovah holds and the congregation murmurs in vain. Joshua makes them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Jehovah.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

History · Joshua — Joshua overview

  • A. 1–15 Moldy bread and worn shoes: the Gibeonite ruse
  • B. 16–21 The fraud found out, the oath still binding
  • C. 22–27 Hewers of wood and drawers of water
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • Joshua 911 verses
    • Joshua 9:4acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
    • Joshua 9:6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”
    • Joshua 9:8“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”
    • Joshua 9:11So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’
    • Joshua 9:16Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.
    • Joshua 9:17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
    • Read Joshua 9: 5 more there →
  • Deuteronomy 203 verses
    • Deuteronomy 20:10When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace.
    • Deuteronomy 20:11If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.
    • Deuteronomy 20:15This is how you are to treat all the cities that are far away from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.
    • Read Deuteronomy 20 →
  • 2 Samuel 213 verses
    • 2 Samuel 21:1During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
    • 2 Samuel 21:2At this, David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not Israelites, but a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.)
    • 2 Samuel 21:7Now the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul.
    • Read 2 Samuel 21 →
  • Matthew 103 verses
    • Matthew 10:9Do not carry any gold or silver or copper in your belts.
    • Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
    • Matthew 10:28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
    • Read Matthew 10 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • Deuteronomy 292 verses
  • Deuteronomy 72 verses
    • Deuteronomy 7:1When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—
    • Deuteronomy 7:2and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.
    • Read Deuteronomy 7 →
  • Joshua 111 verse
  • Numbers 341 verse

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.