1
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All the kings west of the Jordan in the hills and foothills and along the Mediterranean seacoast north toward Lebanon--the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, Girgashites, and Jebusites--got the news. |
2
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They came together in a coalition to fight against Joshua and Israel under a single command. |
3
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The people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai |
4
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and cooked up a ruse. They posed as travelers: their donkeys loaded with patched sacks and mended wineskins, |
5
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threadbare sandals on their feet, tattered clothes on their bodies, nothing but dry crusts and crumbs for food. |
6
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They came to Joshua at Gilgal and spoke to the men of Israel, "We've come from a far-off country; make a covenant with us." |
7
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The men of Israel said to these Hivites, "How do we know you aren't local people? How could we then make a covenant with you?" |
8
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They said to Joshua, "We'll be your servants." Joshua said, "Who are you now? Where did you come from?" |
9
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They said, "From a far-off country, very far away. Your servants came because we'd heard such great things about GOD, your God--all those things he did in Egypt! |
10
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And the two Amorite kings across the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth! |
11
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Our leaders and everybody else in our country told us, 'Pack up some food for the road and go meet them. Tell them, We're your servants; make a covenant with us.' |
12
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"This bread was warm from the oven when we packed it and left to come and see you. Now look at it--crusts and crumbs. |
13
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And our cracked and mended wineskins, good as new when we filled them. And our clothes and sandals, in tatters from the long, hard traveling." |
14
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The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn't ask GOD about it. |
15
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So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it. |
16
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And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along! |
17
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The People of Israel broke camp and set out; three days later they reached their towns--Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. |
18
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But the People of Israel didn't attack them; the leaders of the congregation had given their word before the GOD of Israel. But the congregation was up in arms over their leaders. |
19
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The leaders were united in their response to the congregation: "We promised them in the presence of the GOD of Israel. We can't lay a hand on them now. |
20
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But we can do this: We will let them live so we don't get blamed for breaking our promise." |
21
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Then the leaders continued, "We'll let them live, but they will be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire congregation." And that's what happened; the leaders' promise was kept. |
22
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But Joshua called the Gibeonites together and said, "Why did you lie to us, telling us, 'We live far, far away from you,' when you're our next-door neighbors? |
23
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For that you are cursed. From now on it's menial labor for you--woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." |
24
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They answered Joshua, "We got the message loud and clear that GOD, your God, commanded through his servant Moses: to give you the whole country and destroy everyone living in it. We were terrified because of you; that's why we did this. |
25
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That's it. We're at your mercy. Whatever you decide is right for us, do it." |
26
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And that's what they did. Joshua delivered them from the power of the People of Israel so they didn't kill them. |
27
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But he made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the Altar of GOD at the place GOD chooses. They still are. |
Joshua 9:1 English Language Bible Words basic statistical display
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