1AND it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

1 And it came to passe when all the kings which were on this side Iordan in the hilles, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea, ouer against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hiuite, and the Iebusite heard thereof:

2 That they gathered themselues together to fight with Ioshua, and with Israel, with one accord.

3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Ioshua had done vnto Iericho, and to Ai,

4 They did worke wilily, and went and made as if they had beene embassadours, and tooke old sackes vpon their asses, and wine-bottels, old, and rent, and bound vp,

5 And old shooes and clowted vpon their feet, & olde garments vpon them, and all the bread of their prouision was drie and mouldie.

6 And they went to Ioshua vnto the campe at Gilgal, and said vnto him, and to the men of Israel, Wee be come from a farre countrey: Now therefore make ye a league with vs.

7 And the men of Israel said vnto the Hiuites, Peraduenture yee dwell among vs, and how shall wee make a league with you.?

8 And they said vnto Ioshua, Wee are thy seruants. And Ioshua said vnto them, Who are ye? And from whence come ye?

9 And they said vnto him, From a very farre countrey thy seruants are come, because of the Name of the Lord thy God: for wee haue heard the fame of him, and all that hee did in Egypt,

10 And all that hee did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Iordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

11 Wherefore our Elders and all the inhabitants of our countrey, spake to vs, saying, Take victuals with you for the iourney, and goe to meete them, and say vnto them, Wee are your seruants: therefore now make ye a league with vs.

12 This our bread, wee tooke hote for our prouision out of our houses, on the day we came forth to goe vnto you: but now behold, it is dry, & it is mouldy.

13 And these bottels of wine which we filled, were new, and behold, they be rent: and these our garments, and our shooes are become old, by reason of the very long iourney.

14 And the men tooke of their victuals, and asked not counsell at the mouth of the Lord.

15 And Ioshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them liue: and the princes of the Congregation sware vnto them.

16 And it came to passe at the end of three dayes, after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

17 And the children of Israel iourneyed, and came vnto their cities on the third day: now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath iearim.

18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: And all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.

19 But all the Princes said vnto all the Congregation, We haue sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.

20 This we will doe to them; wee will euen let them liue, lest wrath be vpon vs, because of the oath which wee sware vnto them.

21 And the Princes said vnto them, Let them liue, (but let them bee hewers of wood, and drawers of water, vnto all the Congregation,) as the Princes had promised them.

22 And Ioshua called for them, and he spake vnto them, saying, Wherefore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We are very farre from you? when ye dwell among vs.

23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you bee freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water, for the house of my God.

24 And they answered Ioshua, and said, Because it was certainely told thy seruants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his seruant Moses to giue you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our liues because of you, and haue done this thing.

25 And now behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right vnto thee to doe vnto vs, doe.

26 And so did he vnto them, and deliuered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

27 And Ioshua made them that day, hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the Congregation, and for the Altar of the Lord, euen vnto this day, in the place which he should choose. 

I == Ex 3:17 ; 23:23 ; Num 34:6

 

 

II == Ps 83:3 , 5

 

 

III == Josh 6:27 ; 10:2 ; 2nd Sam 21:1-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Josh 5:10

 

 

VII == Ex 23:32 ; Deut 7:2 ; 20:16 ; Josh 11:19 ; Judg 2:2

 

VIII == Deut 20:11 ; 2nd Kings 10:5

IX == Ex 15:14 ; Deut 20:15 ; Josh 2:10

 

X == Num 21:24 , 33

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIV == Num 27:21 ; Judg 1:1 ; 1st Sam 22:10 ; 23:10-11 ; 30:8 ; 2nd Sam 2:1 ; 5:19 ;Isa 30:1-2

XV == Josh 11:19 ; 2nd Sam 21:2

 

 

XVII == Josh 18:25-26 , 28 ; Ezra 2:25

 

 

XVIII == Ps 15:4 ; Ecc 5:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

XX == 2nd Sam 21:1-2 , 6 ; Ezek 17:13 , 15 , 18-19 ; Zech 5:3-4 ; Mal 3:5

XXI == Deut 29:11 ; Josh 9:15

 

XXII == Josh 9:6 , 9 , 16

 

XXIII == Gen 9:25 ; Josh 9:21 , 27

 

XXIV == Ex 15:14 ; 23:32 ; Deut 7:1-2

 

 

 

 

 

XXV == Gen 16:6

 

 

 

XXVII == Deut 12:5 ; Josh 9:21 , 23 ; 1st Chr 9:2 ; Ezra 8:20

1 When the news reached the kings west of the Jordan, in the mountain regions and in the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea as far as Lebanon: Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites,

2 they all formed an alliance to launch a common attack against Joshua and Israel.

3 On learning what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, the inhabitants of Gibeon

4 put into effect a device of their own. They chose provisions for a journey, making use of old sacks for their asses, and old wineskins, torn and mended.

5 They wore old, patched sandals and shabby garments; and all the bread they took was dry and crumbly.

6 Thus they journeyed to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, where they said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant land to propose that you make an alliance with us."

7 But the men of Israel replied to the Hivites, "You may be living in land that is ours. How, then, can we make an alliance with you?"

8 But they answered Joshua, "We are your servants." Then Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

9 They answered him, "Your servants have come from a far-off land, because of the fame of the LORD, your God. For we have heard reports of 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 lived in Ashtaroth.

11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take along provisions for the journey and go to meet them. Say to them: We are your servants; we propose that you make an alliance with us.'

12 This bread of ours was still warm when we brought it from home as provisions the day we left to come to you, but now it is dry and crumbled.

13 Here are our wineskins, which were new when we filled them, but now they are torn. Look at our garments and sandals, which are worn out from the very long journey."

14 Then the Israelite princes partook of their provisions, without seeking the advice of the LORD.

15 So Joshua made an alliance with them and entered into an agreement to spare them, which the princes of the community sealed with an oath.

16 Three days after the agreement was entered into, the Israelites learned that these people were from nearby, and would be living in Israel.

17 The third day on the road, the Israelites came to their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim,

18 but did not attack them, because the princes of the community had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. When the entire community grumbled against the princes,

19 these all remonstrated with the people, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and so we cannot harm them.

20 Let us therefore spare their lives and so deal with them that we shall not be punished for the oath we have sworn to them."

21 Thus the princes recommended that they be let live, as hewers of wood and drawers of water for the entire community; and the community did as the princes advised them.

22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, "Why did you lie to us and say that you lived at a great distance from us, when you will be living in our very midst?

23 For this are you accursed: every one of you shall always be a slave (hewers of wood and drawers of water) for the house of my God."

24 They answered Joshua, "Your servants were fully informed of how the LORD, your God, commanded his servant Moses that you be given the entire land and that all its inhabitants be destroyed before you. Since, therefore, at your advance, we were in great fear for our lives, we acted as we did.

25 And now that we are in your power, do with us what you think fit and right."

26 Joshua did what he had decided: while he saved them from being killed by the Israelites,

27 at the same time he made them, as they still are, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the community and for the altar of the LORD, in the place of the LORD'S choice.

v 1,2. Israel had boldly gone up to the area of Shechem for their religious celebration but had returned to Gilgal. Enough time has elapsed since Israel’s victories that kings of the whole country, who had no doubt fought each other, now unite in fear to try to defeat Israel. Now their plans are to be complicated by a defector.

v 3-15. The Gibeonites knew that Israel’s God had told them to destroy the native people and they could never win over Israel, so they would have to resort to deceit. They pretended to having come from a far place by using old clothes and supplies and moldy bread. Though Israel questioned it, the argument was convincing, so they fell for it and made a peace treaty. At Ai the Israelites had learned that obedience was vital, but had not learned that they needed guidance all the way. They failed to pray and ask counsel of the Lord, which resulted in many problems. First, Gibeon had to be defended in chapter 10. Also a three year famine ensued after Saul broke treaty with them 2 Sam. 21:1-14. Then their presence across the center of Canaan somewhat isolated the northern tribes from the southern tribes, leading to sectional feelings. The important thing is, the Gibeonites were not wanting to join Israel because of Gibeon’s fear of the Lord. It was only so they could be on the winning side and escape harm in the oncoming conflict. Similarly, many people today join a church so they will have prestige in business or politics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 16-21. After only three days journey, Israel found out that the Gibeonites were their neighbors. The people wanted to kill them for their deception, but princes stopped them because any vow made is to be kept. Instead they were made hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, see verse 23.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 22,23. Joshua rebuked them for their deceit and they would be cursed to being slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of God.

 

 

v 24-27. The Gibeonites admitted to Joshua that they feared for their lives, so they were willing to accept whatever punishment he thought good. They were made permanent wood cutters and water carriers for the house of the Lord, so their curse actually became a blessing. They were exposed constantly to the things of the Lord, yet Israel was not exposed to their idolatry. The tabernacle was pitched at Gibeon, 2 Chron. 1:3. Eventually David replaced the Levites with the Gibeonites, called Nethanims, Ezra 8:20, and they helped Nehemiah rebuild Jerusalem’s walls, Neh. 3:7.