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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Joshua 9 NIV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/joshua/9.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/joshua/9-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NIV</a> > Joshua 9</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../joshua/8.htm" title="Joshua 8">◄</a> Joshua 9 <a href="../joshua/10.htm" title="Joshua 10">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New International Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/niv/esv/joshua/9.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="sectionhead">The Gibeonite Deception</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)— <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded <span class="nivfootnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys">a</a></sup></span> with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>“We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.</p><p class="reg">But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the <span class="name">Lord</span> your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the <span class="name">Lord</span>. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the <span class="name">Lord</span>, the God of Israel.</p><p class="reg">The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the <span class="name">Lord</span>, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the <span class="name">Lord</span> your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/joshua/9-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the <span class="name">Lord</span> at the place the <span class="name">Lord</span> would choose. And that is what they are to this day.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="footnotes"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="nivfootnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">4</span> <span class="footnotebot">Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) <i>They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys</i></span><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><p class="ntext"><a href="http://niv.scripturetext.com/version.htm">New International Version</a> (NIV)</p><p class="ntext2">Holy Bible, New International Version&reg, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by <a href="http://biblica.com">Biblica, Inc.</a>® Used by permission. 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