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JOSHUA 10
page 201
sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their
donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old,
patched wineskins. 5 They put on worn-out,
patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the
bread they took with them was dry and moldy.
6 When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We
have come from a distant land to ask you to
make a peace treaty with us.”
7 The Israelites replied to these Hivites, “How
do we know you don’t live nearby? For if you do,
we cannot make a treaty with you.”
8 They replied, “We are your servants.”
“But who are you?” Joshua demanded.
“Where do you come from?”
9 They answered, “Your servants have come
from a very distant country. We have heard of
the might of the Lord your God and of all he did
in Egypt. 10 We have also heard what he did to
the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—
King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan
(who lived in Ashtaroth). 11 So our elders and all
our people instructed us, ‘Take supplies for a
long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel
and tell them, “We are your servants; please
make a treaty with us.”’
12 “This bread was hot from the ovens when
we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it
is dry and moldy. 13 These wineskins were new
when we filled them, but now they are old and
split open. And our clothing and sandals are
worn out from our very long journey.”
14 So the Israelites examined their food, but
they did not consult the Lord. 15 Then Joshua
made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed
their safety, and the leaders of the community
ratified their agreement with a binding oath.
16 Three days after making the treaty, they
learned that these people actually lived nearby!
17 The Israelites set out at once to investigate and
reached their towns in three days. The names
of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth,
and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not
attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had
made a vow to them in the name of the Lord,
the God of Israel.
The people of Israel grumbled against their
leaders because of the treaty. 19 But the leaders
replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the
presence of the Lord, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them. 20 This is what we must do. We
must let them live, for divine anger would come
upon us if we broke our oath. 21 Let them live.”
So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite
leaders directed.
22 Joshua called together the Gibeonites and
10:1 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete
consecration of things or people to the Lord, either by
destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also
in 10:28, 35, 37, 39, 40.
said, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you say
that you live in a distant land when you live
right here among us? 23 May you be cursed! From
now on you will always be servants who cut
wood and carry water for the house of my God.”
24 They replied, “We did it because we—your
servants—were clearly told that the Lord your
God commanded his servant Moses to give
you this entire land and to destroy all the people
living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this.
25 Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever
you think is right.”
26 So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel
to kill them. 27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for
the community of Israel and for the altar of the
Lord—wherever the Lord would choose to build
it. And that is what they do to this day.
Israel Defeats the Southern Armies
Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard
that Joshua had captured and completely destroyed* Ai and killed its king, just as
he had destroyed the town of Jericho and killed
its king. He also learned that the Gibeonites
had made peace with Israel and were now their
allies. 2 He and his people became very afraid
when they heard all this because Gibeon was
a large town—as large as the royal cities and
larger than Ai. And the Gibeonite men were
strong warriors.
3 So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent messengers to several other kings: Hoham of Hebron, Piram of Jarmuth, Japhia of Lachish, and
Debir of Eglon. 4 “Come and help me destroy
Gibeon,” he urged them, “for they have made
peace with Joshua and the people of Israel.” 5 So
these five Amorite kings combined their armies
for a united attack. They moved all their troops
into place and attacked Gibeon.
6 The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers
to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. “Don’t abandon your servants now!” they pleaded. “Come
at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite
kings who live in the hill country have joined
forces to attack us.”
7 So Joshua and his entire army, including his
best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon.
8 “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said to
Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them.
Not a single one of them will be able to stand
up to you.”
9 Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and
took the Amorite armies by surprise. 10 The Lord
threw them into a panic, and the Israelites
slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon.
Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the
road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the
way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon,
10