< Joshua 9 >

1 Now on hearing the news of these things, all the kings on the west side of Jordan, in the hill-country and the lowlands and by the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
וַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּֽל־הַמְּלָכִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בָּהָ֣ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבְכֹל֙ ח֚וֹף הַיָּ֣ם הַגָּד֔וֹל אֶל־מ֖וּל הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן הַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי׃
2 Came together with one purpose, to make war against Joshua and Israel.
וַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם עִם־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל פֶּ֖ה אֶחָֽד׃ פ
3 And the men of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
וְיֹשְׁבֵ֨י גִבְע֜וֹן שָׁמְע֗וּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֧ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ לִֽירִיח֖וֹ וְלָעָֽי׃
4 Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;
וַיַּעֲשׂ֤וּ גַם־הֵ֙מָּה֙ בְּעָרְמָ֔ה וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ וַיִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ וַיִּקְח֞וּ שַׂקִּ֤ים בָּלִים֙ לַחֲמ֣וֹרֵיהֶ֔ם וְנֹאד֥וֹת יַ֙יִן֙ בָּלִ֔ים וּמְבֻקָּעִ֖ים וּמְצֹרָרִֽים׃
5 And put old stitched-up shoes on their feet, and old clothing on their backs; and all the food they had with them was dry and broken up.
וּנְעָל֨וֹת בָּל֤וֹת וּמְטֻלָּאוֹת֙ בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וּשְׂלָמ֥וֹת בָּל֖וֹת עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְכֹל֙ לֶ֣חֶם צֵידָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה נִקֻּדִֽים׃
6 And they came to Joshua to the tent-circle at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: so now make an agreement with us.
וַיֵּלְכ֧וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו וְאֶל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵאֶ֤רֶץ רְחוֹקָה֙ בָּ֔אנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית׃
7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be that you are living among us; how then may we make an agreement with you?
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַחִוִּ֑י אוּלַ֗י בְּקִרְבִּי֙ אַתָּ֣ה יוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְאֵ֖יךְ אֶֽכְרָת לְךָ֥ בְרִֽית׃
8 And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. Then Joshua said to them, Who are you and where do you come from?
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֧ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ מִ֥י אַתֶּ֖ם וּמֵאַ֥יִן תָּבֹֽאוּ׃
9 And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God: for the story of his great name, and of all he did in Egypt has come to our ears,
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו מֵאֶ֨רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֤ה מְאֹד֙ בָּ֣אוּ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְשֵׁ֖ם יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ שָׁמְע֔וֹ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה בְּמִצְרָֽיִם׃
10 And what he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of Jordan, to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, at Ashtaroth.
וְאֵ֣ת ׀ כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה לִשְׁנֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן לְסִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן וּלְע֥וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּעַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת׃
11 So the responsible men and all the people of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey and go to them, and say to them, We are your servants: so now make an agreement with us.
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֵ֡ינוּ זְֽקֵינֵינוּ֩ וְכָל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י אַרְצֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְח֨וּ בְיֶדְכֶ֤ם צֵידָה֙ לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּלְכ֖וּ לִקְרָאתָ֑ם וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם אֲלֵיהֶם֙ עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית׃
12 This bread which we have with us for our food, we took warm and new from our houses when starting on our journey to you; but now see, it has become dry and broken up.
זֶ֣ה ׀ לַחְמֵ֗נוּ חָ֞ם הִצְטַיַּ֤דְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ מִבָּ֣תֵּ֔ינוּ בְּי֥וֹם צֵאתֵ֖נוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה יָבֵ֔שׁ וְהָיָ֖ה נִקֻּדִֽים׃
13 And these wine-skins were new when we put the wine in them, and now they are cracked as you see; and our clothing and our shoes have become old because of our very long journey here.
וְאֵ֨לֶּה נֹאד֤וֹת הַיַּ֙יִן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִלֵּ֣אנוּ חֲדָשִׁ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֖ה הִתְבַּקָּ֑עוּ וְאֵ֤לֶּה שַׂלְמוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּנְעָלֵ֔ינוּ בָּל֕וּ מֵרֹ֥ב הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ מְאֹֽד׃
14 And the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.
וַיִּקְח֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצֵּידָ֑ם וְאֶת־פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֥א שָׁאָֽלוּ׃
15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made an agreement with them that they were not to be put to death: and the chiefs of the people took an oath to them.
וַיַּ֨עַשׂ לָהֶ֤ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ שָׁל֔וֹם וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית לְחַיּוֹתָ֑ם וַיִּשָּׁבְע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם נְשִׂיאֵ֖י הָעֵדָֽה׃
16 Now three days after, when they had made this agreement with them, they had word that these men were their neighbours, living near them.
וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֕י אֲשֶׁר־כָּרְת֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם בְּרִ֑ית וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֗וּ כִּי־קְרֹבִ֥ים הֵם֙ אֵלָ֔יו וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִֽים׃
17 And the children of Israel went forward on their journey, and on the third day came to their towns. Now their towns were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.
וַיִּסְע֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיָּבֹ֛אוּ אֶל־עָרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י וְעָרֵיהֶם֙ גִּבְע֣וֹן וְהַכְּפִירָ֔ה וּבְאֵר֖וֹת וְקִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִֽים׃
18 And the children of Israel did not put them to death, because the chiefs of the people had taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the people made an outcry against the chiefs.
וְלֹ֤א הִכּוּם֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָ֔ה בַּֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלֹּ֥נוּ כָל־הָעֵדָ֖ה עַל־הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃
19 But all the chiefs said to the people, We have taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and so we may not put our hands on them.
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ כָל־הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ אֶל־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ לָהֶ֔ם בַּֽיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֕ה לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לִנְגֹּ֥עַ בָּהֶֽם׃
20 This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.
זֹ֛את נַעֲשֶׂ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם וְהַחֲיֵ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ קֶ֔צֶף עַל־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְנוּ לָהֶֽם׃
21 Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.
וַיֹּאמְר֧וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ים יִֽחְי֑וּ וַ֠יִּֽהְיוּ חֹטְבֵ֨י עֵצִ֤ים וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבְּר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים׃
22 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?
וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לָמָּה֩ רִמִּיתֶ֨ם אֹתָ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר רְחוֹקִ֨ים אֲנַ֤חְנוּ מִכֶּם֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ יֹשְׁבִֽים׃
23 Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.
וְעַתָּ֖ה אֲרוּרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֨ת מִכֶּ֜ם עֶ֗בֶד וְחֹטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־מַ֖יִם לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהָֽי׃
24 And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.
וַיַּעֲנ֨וּ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ כִּי֩ הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֤ד לַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֜ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֛יד אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם וַנִּירָ֨א מְאֹ֤ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וַֽנַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה׃
25 And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you.
וְעַתָּ֖ה הִנְנ֣וּ בְיָדֶ֑ךָ כַּטּ֨וֹב וְכַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֖נוּ עֲשֵֽׂה׃
26 So he kept them safe from the children of Israel, and did not let them be put to death.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּ֑ן וַיַּצֵּ֥ל אוֹתָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְלֹ֥א הֲרָגֽוּם׃
27 And that day Joshua made them servants, cutting wood and getting water for the people and for the altar of the Lord, in the place marked out by him, to this day.
וַיִּתְּנֵ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חֹטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵי מַ֖יִם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה וּלְמִזְבַּ֤ח יְהוָה֙ עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחָֽר׃ פ

< Joshua 9 >