Josua 9

1 Da alle Kongerne på den anden Side af Jordan, i Bjergene og i Lavlandet og langs hele det store Havs Kyst hen imod Libanon, Hetiterne, Amoriterne, Kana'anæerne, Perizziterne, Hivviterne og Jebusiterne, hørte, hvad der var sket,

All the kings west of the Jordan heard what had happened. These included the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who lived in the hill country, the lowlands, and along the coast as far as Lebanon.

2 samlede de sig for i Fællesskab at kæmpe mod Josua og Israel.

So they gathered to fight together as a united army against Joshua and the Israelites.

3 Men da Indbyggerne i Gibeon hørte, hvad Josua havde gjort ved Jeriko og Aj,

But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

4 greb også de til en List; de gik hen og forsynede sig med Rejsetæring, læssede nogle slidte Sække og nogle slidte, sprukne, stoppede Vinsække på deres Æsler

they decided on a cunning plan. They sent messengers to Joshua, their donkeys wearing worn-out saddles and carrying old wineskins that were torn and patched.

5 og tog slidte, lappede Sko på Fødderne og slidte Klæder på Kroppen, og alt deres Rejsebrød var tørt og mullent.

They put on worn sandals that had been mended and wore old clothes. All their bread was dry and moldy.

6 Så gik de til Josua i Lejren ved Gilgal og sagde til ham og Israels Mænd: "Vi kommer fra et fjernt Land; slut derfor Pagt med os!"

They went to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and told him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a land far away, so please make a treaty with us.”

7 Israels Mænd svarede Hivviterne: "Det kunde være, at I bor her midt iblandt os, hvorledes kan vi da slutte Pagt med eder?"

But the Israelites said to the Hivites, “Maybe you live close by. If you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.”

8 De sagde til Josua: "Vi er dine Trælle!" Josua spurgte dem så: "Hvem er I, og hvorfra kommer I?"

“We are your servants,” they replied. “But who are you? Where do you come from?” Joshua asked.

9 Og de svarede ham: "Fra et såre fjernt Land er dine Trælle kommet for HERREN din Guds Navns Skyld; thi vi har hørt hans Ry og alt, hvad han gjorde i Ægypten,

“Your servants have come from a land far away,” they replied. “For we have heard of the reputation of the Lord your God, and reports of all that he did in Egypt,

10 og alt, hvad han gjorde mod de to Amoriterkonger hinsides Jordan, Kong Sihon af Hesjbon og Kong Og af Basan, som boede i Asjtarot.

and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan—to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth.

11 og vore Ældste og alle Indbyggerne i vort Land sagde til os: Tag Rejse tæring med eder, drag dem i Møde og sig til dem: Vi er eders Trælle; slut derfor nu Pagt med os!

So our leaders and everyone who lives in our land told us: Take what you need with you for the journey. Go and meet with them, and tell them, ‘We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’

12 Vort Brød her var endnu varmt, da vi tog det med hjemmefra, dengang vi begav os af Sted for at drage til eder; men se, nu er det tørt og mullent;

Look at this bread. It was warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come here. But now it's dry and moldy, as you can see.

13 og vore Vinsække her var nye, da vi fyldte dem; se, nu er de sprukne; og vore Klæder og Sko her er slidte, fordi Vejen var så lang!"

These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look at them now—they're split and damaged. These clothes of ours and our sandals are all worn out because the journey took so long.”

14 Så tog Mændene af deres Rejsetæring; men HERREN rådspurgte de ikke.

The Israelites tried some of the food. However, they did not consult the Lord.

15 Og Josua tilsagde dem Fred og sluttede Overenskomst med dem og lovede at lade dem leve, og Menighedens Øverster tilsvor dem det.

Then Joshua made a treaty with them, promising to spare their lives, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to guarantee it.

16 Men tre Dage efter at de havde sluttet Pagt med dem, hørte de, at de var fra den nærmeste Omegn og boede midt iblandt dem.

Three days after they had made the treaty, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby, right among them!

17 Og Israeliterne brød op og kom den tredje Dag til deres Byer, det var Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot og Kirjat Jearim.

The Israelites left to go to the Gibeonite towns, and arrived there on the third day. The towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.

18 Men Israeliterne dræbte dem ikke, fordi Menighedens Øverster havde, tilsvoret dem Fred ved HERREN, Israels Gud. Da knurrede hele Menigheden mod Øversterne;

But the Israelites did not attack them because of the treaty sworn by the leaders of the assembly in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. At this all the Israelites protested against the leaders.

19 men alle Øversterne sagde til hele Menigheden: "Vi har tilsvoret dem Fred ved HERREN, Israels Gud, derfor kan vi ikke gøre dem noget ondt.

But the leaders replied to the people, “We swore to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so we cannot lay a hand on them now.

20 Men dette vil vi gøre med dem, når vi skåner deres Liv, at der ikke skal komme Vrede over os for den Ed, vi svor dem:

So this is what we're going to do to them. We'll let them live, so that we won't be punished for breaking the oath that we swore to them.”

21 De skal blive i Live, men være Brændehuggere og Vandbærere for hele Menigheden." Og hele Menigheden gjorde, som Øverstene havde sagt.

The leaders concluded, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly, as the Israelite leaders had ordered.

22 Og Josua lod dem kalde og talte således til dem: "Hvorfor førte I os bag Lyset og sagde, at I havde hjemme langt borte fra os, skønt I bor her midt iblandt os?

Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, “Why did you trick us? You told us, ‘We live a long way from you,’ but you live right next door to us!

23 Derfor skal I nu være forbandede, og ingen af eder skal nogen Sinde ophøre at være Træl; Brændehuggere og Vandbærere skal I være ved min Gus Hus!"

Consequently you are under a curse. From now on you shall forever be servants, woodcutters and water-carriers for the house of my God.”

24 De svarede Josua og sagde:"Det var blevet dine Trælle sagt, at HERREN din Gud pålagde sin Tjener Moses, at når han gav eder hele Landet, skulde I udrydde alle Landets Indbyggere foran eder. Da påkom der os stor Frygt for, at I skulde tage vort Liv; derfor handlede vi således.

They answered Joshua, “We your servants were told very clearly that the Lord your God had ordered Moses to give you all this land, and that all its inhabitants were to be wiped out before you. So we really feared for our lives because of you. That's why we did what we did.

25 Men se, nu er vi i din Hånd; gør med os, som det tykkes dig godt og ret!"

Now we're in your hands. Do to us what you think is right and just.”

26 Da handlede han således med dem; han friede dem fra Israeliternes Hånd, så de ikke dræbte dem;

Joshua did as he had said. He saved them from the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.

27 men Josua gjorde dem den Dag til Brændehuggere og Vandbærere for Menigheden og for HERRENs Alter på det Sted, han vilde udvælge. Og det er de den Dag i Dag.

That day Joshua made them woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly and for the altar of the Lord wherever the Lord should choose. That is what they do right up to this very day.