Joshua 9:22

Contemporary English Version

Joshua told some of his soldiers, "I want to meet with the Gibeonite leaders. Bring them here." When the Gibeonites came, Joshua said, "You live close to us. Why did you lie by claiming you lived far away?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

Hebrew Names Version
Yehoshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
And Joshua summoned them and said, "Why have you deceived us saying, ‘We are very far from you' when you are living among us?

English Standard Version
Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, "Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,' when you dwell among us?

New Century Version
Joshua called for the Gibeonites and asked, "Why did you lie to us? Your land was near our camp, but you told us you were from a far country.

New English Translation
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, "Why did you trick us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,' when you really live nearby?

Amplified Bible
Joshua called the [Hivite] men and said, "Why did you deceive us, saying, 'We live very far away from you,' when [in fact] you live among us?

New American Standard Bible
Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Ioshua then called them, and talked with them, and sayd, Wherefore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We are very farre from you, when ye dwel among vs?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,' when you are living nearly in the midst of us?

Complete Jewish Bible
Y'hoshua summoned them and said this to them: "Why have you deceived us by saying, ‘We come from a place very far away,' when in fact you are living right here with us?

Darby Translation
And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; whereas ye dwell in our midst?

Easy-to-Read Version
Joshua called the Gibeonites together. He said, "Why did you lie to us? Your land was near our camp. But you told us you were from a faraway country.

George Lamsa Translation
And Joshua called for them, and he said to them, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, when you dwell among us?

Good News Translation
Joshua ordered the people of Gibeon to be brought to him, and he asked them, "Why did you deceive us and tell us that you were from far away, when you live right here?

Literal Translation
And Joshua called for them; and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, yet you are living in our midst?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then Iosua called them, and commened with them, and sayde: Wherfore haue ye disceaued vs, and sayde, that ye were farre from vs, where as ye dwell amonge vs?

American Standard Version
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?

Bible in Basic English
Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Iosuah called for them, & talked with them, and sayde, Wherfore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We dwell farre from you: when ye dwell among vs?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying: 'Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying: We are very far from you, when ye dwell among us?

King James Version (1611)
And Ioshua called for them, and he spake vnto them, saying, Wherefore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We are very farre from you? when ye dwell among vs.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?

English Revised Version
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?

Berean Standard Bible
Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Josue clepide Gabonytis, and seide to hem, Whi wolden ye disseyue vs bi fraude, `that ye seiden, We dwellen ful fer fro you, sithen ye ben in the myddis of vs?

Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, `Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling?

Update Bible Version
And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We [are] very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

World English Bible
Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?

New King James Version
Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, "We are very far from you,' when you dwell near us?

New Living Translation
Joshua called together the Gibeonites and 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?

New Life Bible
Joshua called them and said, "Why have you lied to us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land?

New Revised Standard
Joshua summoned them, and said to them, "Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,' while in fact you are living among us?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Joshua called for them, and spake unto them, saying, - Wherefore did ye deceive us, saying - We are, very far, from you, whereas, ye, in our midst, are dwelling?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Josue called the Gabaonites, and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell very far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?

Revised Standard Version
Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, "Why did you deceive us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you dwell among us?

THE MESSAGE
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? For that you are cursed. From now on it's menial labor for you—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land?

Contextual Overview

²² Joshua told some of his soldiers, "I want to meet with the Gibeonite leaders. Bring them here." When the Gibeonites came, Joshua said, "You live close to us. Why did you lie by claiming you lived far away? ²³ Now you are under a curse, and your people will have to send workers to cut wood and carry water for the place of worship." ²⁴ The Gibeonites answered, "The Lord your God told his servant Moses that you were to kill everyone who lives here and take their land for yourselves. We were afraid you would kill us, and so we tricked you into making a peace treaty. But we agreed to be your servants, ²⁵ and you are strong enough to do anything to us that you want. We just ask you to do what seems right." ²⁶ Joshua did not let the Israelites kill the Gibeonites, ²⁷ but he did tell the Gibeonites that they would have to be servants of the nation of Israel. They would have to cut firewood and bring it for the priests to use for burning sacrifices on the Lord 's altar, wherever the Lord decided the altar would be. The Gibeonites would also have to carry water for the priests. And that is still the work of the Gibeonites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Wherefore: Genesis 3:13, Genesis 3:14, Genesis 27:35, Genesis 27:36, Genesis 27:41-45, Genesis 29:25, 2 Corinthians 11:3

We are: Joshua 9:6, Joshua 9:9, Joshua 9:10

ye dwell: Joshua 9:16

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 20:11 - tributaries

Cross-References

Genesis 9:12
The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever.

Genesis 9:15
I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let floodwaters destroy all life.

Genesis 9:16
When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature.

Genesis 9:19
All people on earth are descendants of Noah's three sons.

Genesis 9:20
Noah farmed the land and was the first to plant a vineyard.

Genesis 9:21
One day he got drunk and was lying naked in his tent.

Genesis 9:25
he said, "I now put a curse on Canaan! He will be the lowest slave of his brothers.

Genesis 10:6
Ham's descendants had their own languages, tribes, and land. They were Ethiopia, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. Cush was the ancestor of Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. Raamah was the ancestor of Sheba and Dedan. Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, a mighty warrior whose strength came from the Lord . Nimrod is the reason for the saying, "You hunt like Nimrod with the strength of the Lord !" Nimrod first ruled in Babylon, Erech, and Accad, all of which were in Babylonia. From there Nimrod went to Assyria and built the great city of Nineveh. He also built Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, as well as Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah. Egypt was the ancestor of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim, the ancestor of the Philistines. Canaan's sons were Sidon and Heth. He was also the ancestor of the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Later the Canaanites spread from the territory of Sidon and went as far as Gaza in the direction of Gerar. They also went as far as Lasha in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim.

1 Chronicles 1:8
Ham was the father of Ethiopia, Egypt, Put, and Canaan, and they were the ancestors of the kingdoms named after them.

Psalms 40:15
Embarrass and shame all of those who say, "Just look at you now!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Joshua called for them,.... The Gibeonites, who came as ambassadors for their people, who were detained at Gilgal until the children of Israel returned from Gibeon; and upon their return, and having made their report to Joshua that they found it to be true that they were near neighbours, Joshua ordered them to be brought before him:

and he spake unto them, saying, wherefore have ye beguiled us? what is your reason and motive for so doing? what has induced you to act such a deceitful part, to tell such lies and falsehoods, and impose upon us after this manner?

saying, we [are] very far from you, when ye dwell among us: pretending to come from a very far country, when they were inhabitants of the land Israel were come to possess.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Were the Israelites bound to respect an oath thus procured by fraud? Were they right in doing so? Dr. Sanderson (“Works,” vol. iv. 4 pp. 269, 300, Oxford edition), determines these questions in the affirmative; and rightly, since the oath, though unlawfully taken, was not an oath taken to do an unlawful thing, i. e. a thing in itself unlawful. It was the carelessness of the Israelites themselves which betrayed them into this league. It was therefore their duty when they found themselves entrapped into this unlawful covenant, to devise means by which they might respect both their own oath and God’s purposes as intimated in His injunctions Deuteronomy 7:2 against sparing the Canaanites. This was accomplished by granting their lives to the Gibeonites, but reducing them to a servile condition, which might be expected to disable them from influencing the Israelites to do wrong. It may be added, that had the Israelites broken their oath, taken solemnly in the Name of the Lord, they would have brought that Name into contempt among the pagan; and, while punishing perfidy in others, would have themselves, the Lord’s people, incurred the reproach of perjury. The result showed that Joshua and the princes judged rightly in this matter. God gave to Israel a notable victory, crowned with special miracles, over the kings who were confederated against Gibeon, because of the treaty made with Israel Joshua 10:4, Joshua 10:8,Joshua 10:13; and God punished as a national act of blood-guiltiness the slaughter of the Gibeonites by Saul, which was a distinct violation of the covenant here before us (compare 2 Samuel 21:1). This sparing of the Gibeonites, as well as the previous sparing of Rahab and her household, must be borne in mind when the massacre of the Canaanites by Joshua and the Israelites is discussed.