Focused Passage

Joshua 9:22-27

The Gibeonite Deception and Israel’s Covenant Oath

The surrounding kings prepare for war, the Gibeonites deceive Israel into making a covenant, Israel fails to inquire of the LORD, and Joshua preserves the oath while assigning Gibeon to servant labor for the LORD’s house.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

22Then 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?

23Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

24The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this.

25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

26So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.

27On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 22

Original words

Then Joshuaיְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularsummonedוַיִּקְרָ֤אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe Gibeonitesלָהֶם֙Preposition | third person masculine pluraland saidוַיְדַבֵּ֥רH1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֲלֵיהֶ֖םH413Preposition | third person masculine pluralWhyלָמָּה֩H4100Interrogativedid you deceiveרִמִּיתֶ֨םH7411Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine pluralusאֹתָ֜נוּH853Direct object marker | first person common plural. . .לֵאמֹ֗רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructby telling usלֵאמֹ֑רH559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyou live far awayרְחוֹקִ֨יםH7350Adjective - masculine plural. . .מְאֹ֔דH3966Adverbfromמִכֶּם֙Preposition | second person masculine pluralusאֲנַ֤חְנוּH587Pronoun - first person common pluralwhen in fact youוְאַתֶּ֖םH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine pluralliveיֹשְׁבִֽים׃H3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralamong usבְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּH7130Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Verse 23

Original words

Now thereforeוְעַתָּ֖הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbyouאַתֶּ֑םH859Pronoun - second person masculine pluralare under a curseאֲרוּרִ֣יםH779Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine pluraland will perpetuallyוְלֹֽא־H3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle. . .יִכָּרֵ֨תH3772Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .מִכֶּ֜םPreposition | second person masculine pluralserveעֶ֗בֶדH5650Noun - masculine singularas woodcuttersוְחֹטְבֵ֥יH2404Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .עֵצִ֛יםH6086Noun - masculine pluraland waterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralcarriersוְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־H7579Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructfor the houseלְבֵ֥יתH1004Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructof my Godאֱלֹהָֽי׃H430Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Verse 24

Original words

The Gibeonites answeredוַיַּעֲנ֨וּH6030Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singular-וַיֹּאמְר֗וּH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural. . .כִּי֩H3588ConjunctionYour servantsלַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙H5650Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֵת֩H853Direct object marker. . .הֻגַּ֤דH5046Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singularwere told clearlyהֻגֵּ֨דH5046Verb - Hofal - Infinitive absolutethatאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularyour Godאֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙H430Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhad commandedצִוָּ֜הH6680Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularHis servantעַבְדּ֔וֹH5650Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularMosesמֹשֶׁ֣הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularto giveלָתֵ֤תH5414Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructyouלָכֶם֙Preposition | second person masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe landהָאָ֔רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularand wipe outוּלְהַשְׁמִ֛ידH8045Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct-אֶת־H853Direct object markerallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructits inhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵ֥יH3427Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .הָאָ֖רֶץH776Article | Noun - feminine singularbefore youמִפְּנֵיכֶ֑םH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluralSo we greatlyמְאֹ֤דH3966Adverbfearedוַנִּירָ֨אH3372Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common pluralfor our livesלְנַפְשֹׁתֵ֙ינוּ֙H5315Preposition-l | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common pluralbecause of youמִפְּנֵיכֶ֔םH6440Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine pluraland that is why we have doneוַֽנַּעֲשֵׂ֖הH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common plural-אֶת־H853Direct object marker-הַדָּבָ֥רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthisהַזֶּֽה׃H2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Verse 25

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֖הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverb. . .הִנְנ֣וּH2005Interjection | first person common pluralwe are in your handsבְיָדֶ֑ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularDoעֲשֵֽׂה׃H6213Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularto usלָ֖נוּPreposition | first person common pluralwhatever seemsבְּעֵינֶ֛יךָH5869Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person masculine singulargoodכַּטּ֨וֹבH2896Preposition-k, Article | Adjective - masculine singularand rightוְכַיָּשָׁ֧רH3477Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Adjective - masculine singular[to you]לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתH6213Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 26

Original words

Soכֵּ֑ןH3651AdverbJoshua did thisוַיַּ֥עַשׂH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand deliveredוַיַּצֵּ֥לH5337Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthemאוֹתָ֛םH853Direct object marker | third person masculine pluralfrom the handsמִיַּ֥דH3027Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructvvvבְּנֵֽי־H1121Noun - masculine plural constructof the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לH3478Noun - proper - masculine singularand they did notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlekill [the Gibeonites]הֲרָגֽוּם׃H2026Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine plural
Verse 27

Original words

On thatהַה֗וּאH1931Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singulardayבַּיּ֣וֹםH3117Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularheיְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַH3091Noun - proper - masculine singularmade themוַיִּתְּנֵ֨םH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralwoodcuttersחֹטְבֵ֥יH2404Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct. . .עֵצִ֛יםH6086Noun - masculine pluraland waterמַ֖יִםH4325Noun - masculine pluralcarriersוְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵיH7579Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructas they are to this dayעַד־H5704Preposition. . .הַיּ֣וֹםH3117Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .הַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularfor the congregationלָֽעֵדָ֑הH5712Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularof the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularand for the altarוּלְמִזְבַּ֤חH4196Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructatאֶל־H413Prepositionthe placeהַמָּק֖וֹםH4725Article | Noun - masculine singular-אֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeHe would chooseיִבְחָֽר׃פH977Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.