Joshua 9:14-18

9:14 The men examined ¹  some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice. ²  9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community ³  sealed it with an oath. ⁴ 

9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. ⁵  9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. ⁶  The whole community criticized ⁷  the leaders,

¹ tn Heb “took.” This probably means they tasted some of the food to make sure it was stale.

² tn Heb “but they did not ask the mouth of the Lord.” This refers to seeking the Lord’s will and guidance through an oracle.

³ tn Or “assembly.”

⁴ tn Heb “Joshua made peace with them and made a treaty with them to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.”

⁵ tn Heb “At the end of three days, after they made the treaty with them, they heard that they were neighbors to them and in their midst they were living.”

⁷ tn Heb “by the Lord God of Israel.”

⁸ tn Or “grumbled against.”