Joshua 9:1-8

The Gibeonites Deceive Israel

9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²  and all along the Mediterranean coast ³  as far as ⁴  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) – 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. ⁵ 

9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho ⁶  and Ai, 9:4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions ⁷  and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. 9:5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread ⁸  was dry and hard. ⁹  9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.” 9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. ¹⁰  So how can we make a treaty with you?” 9:8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.” ¹¹  So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

[9:1]  ¹ tn Heb “When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan heard.”

[9:1]  ² tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[9:1]  ³ tn Heb “all the coast of the Great Sea.” The “Great Sea” was the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[9:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “in front of.”

[9:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “they gathered together to fight against Joshua and Israel [with] one mouth.”

[9:3]  ⁶ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[9:4]  ⁷ tc Heb “and they went and [?].” The root and meaning of the verb form יִצְטַיָּרוּ (yitstayyaru) are uncertain. The form is most likely a corruption of יִצְטַיָּדוּ (yitstayyadu), read by some Hebrew mss and ancient versions, from the root צוּד (tsud, “take provisions,” BDB 845 s.v. II צוד) which also occurs in v. 11. Note NRSV “they went and prepared provisions”; cf. NEB “They went and disguised themselves”; NIV “they went as a delegation.”

[9:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “all the bread of their provisions.”

[9:5]  ⁹ tn Or “moldy.”

[9:7]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “in our midst.”

[9:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “we are your servants.”