Joshua

Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering it through many battles.

Chapter 9

1 And 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;

*Then, when all the kings on this side of the Jordan River, in the hills, valleys, and along the large sea near Lebanon, heard about it, the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites were included.

2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

*They all came together to battle against Joshua and Israel, working as a team.

3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

*When the people living in Gibeon learned about what Joshua did to Jericho and 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;

*They worked eagerly and pretended to be like messengers. Then, they put old sacks on their donkeys and carried worn-out wine bottles. They tied these bottles up tightly.

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.

*They wore old shoes and clothes on their bodies, and their food was stale and moldy.

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.

*They traveled to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and told him and the people of Israel, "We came from a distant land. So now, please make a agreement 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?

*The men of Israel asked the Hivites if they lived nearby, and if so, how could they form an agreement together?

8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

*They told Joshua, "We are your helpers." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

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,

*They said, "We came from far away because of your God. We've heard about how great He is and everything 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.

*And everything he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan River, to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, who was in 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.

*Our leaders and people in our land told us, "Pack food for your trip and go meet them. Tell them, 'We are your helpers.' So now, make a agreement 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:

*We took warm bread from our homes when we left to see you. But now, it's dry and moldy.

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.

*The wine bottles we filled were new, but now they're broken. Our clothes and shoes have gotten old because of our really long trip.

14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

*The men used their food supplies without asking for God's guidance.

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.

*Joshua agreed for peace with them, formed a pact allowing them to live, and the leaders of the group promised this to 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.

*After three days of making a deal with them, they found out they were neighbors and lived nearby.

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 Kirjathjearim.

*The Israelite kids traveled and reached their towns in three days. These towns were called Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

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.

*The Israelite kids didn't attack because the leaders promised not to, and they did this promise in the name of God. The rest of the group was unhappy with these leaders.

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.

*But all the leaders told everyone, "We promised them using the LORD God of Israel's name. So, we can't hurt 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.

*We'll let them live, so wrath doesn't come to us, due to the oath we swore to 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.

*The leaders told them, "Let them live, but they will only cut wood and fetch water for everyone." The leaders had promised this to 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?

*Joshua asked them, "Why did you trick us by saying that you're far away when you actually live with 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.

*So now, you are under a curse. None of you will be free, and you'll all be slaves, working as woodcutters and water carriers for God's temple.

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.

*They told Joshua, "We were scared because we heard that God told Moses to give you all the land and get rid of everyone living there. So we did this."

25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

*Now, see, we are under your control. Do with us whatever you think is good and fair.

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

*He did the same for them and saved them from the Israelites, so they didn't get killed.

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.

*On that day, Joshua ordered people to be woodcutters and water carriers for the group and for the Lord's altar. They continued doing this in the chosen location until now.

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