Joshua 9:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Joshua 9:4

2 that they ^agathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one¹ accord.

3 But when the inhabitants of ^aGibeon ^bheard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

4 they worked craftily, and went and¹ pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and² mended,

5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

6 And they went to Joshua, ^ato the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a¹ covenant with us.”

7 Then the men of Israel said to the ^aHivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so ^bhow can we make a covenant with you?”

8 But they said to Joshua, ^a“We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

9 So they said to him: ^a“From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have ^bheard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt,

10 and ^aall that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

11 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’

12 This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy.

13 And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”

14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; ^abut they did not ask counsel of the Lord.

15 So Joshua ^amade peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.

Verse Comparison: Joshua 9:4

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American Standard Version
they also did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up,

Amplified® Bible
They worked cunningly, and went pretending to be ambassadors and took [provisions and] old sacks on their donkeys and wineskins, old, torn, and mended,

Contemporary English Version
So they decided that some of their men should pretend to be messengers to Israel from a faraway country. The men put worn-out bags on their donkeys and found some old wineskins that had cracked and had been sewn back together.

Darby English Version
then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up;

Good News Bible
and they decided to deceive him. They went and got some food and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins.

King James Version
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;

New American Standard Bible
they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended,

New International Version
they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

New King James Version
they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended,

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended,

Revised Standard Version
they on their part acted with cunning, and went and made ready provisions, and took worn-out sacks upon their asses, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended,

Young's Literal Translation
and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,

New English Translation
they did something clever. They collected some provisions¹ and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched.

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