Joshua 9 13

Joshua 9:13 kjv

And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Joshua 9:13 nkjv

And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey."

Joshua 9:13 niv

And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey."

Joshua 9:13 esv

These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey."

Joshua 9:13 nlt

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."

Joshua 9 verses

Joshua 9 13 Meaning

This verse serves as a crucial piece of fabricated evidence presented by the Gibeonites to the Israelites. They display items, such as burst wineskins that were initially new and heavily worn garments and shoes, as supposed proof of a painstakingly long journey from a very distant land. This theatrical demonstration was designed to convince Joshua and the leaders of Israel that they were not inhabitants of the land whom God had commanded to be utterly destroyed, thereby manipulating the Israelites into making a peace treaty with them.

Joshua 9 13 Context

Joshua chapter 9 immediately follows Israel's significant victories at Jericho and Ai, which had instilled widespread fear among the Canaanite kings (Joshua 9:1-2). While other local kings gathered to fight against Israel, the Gibeonites chose a different strategy: deception. Instead of military confrontation, they employed cunning. They dispatched ambassadors who cleverly disguised themselves and their provisions to appear as if they had undertaken an extremely arduous journey from a distant land, specifically not from within Canaan. This verse, Joshua 9:13, forms part of their tangible "proof," detailing the condition of their wine bottles, garments, and shoes. Their aim was to present compelling evidence that would make the Israelites believe they were not subject to God's command to utterly destroy the inhabitants of the land, thus inducing them to make a peace treaty. Tragically, the Israelite leaders failed to inquire of the Lord and were swayed by this visual deception, leading them into an oath they would later regret but had to honor.

Joshua 9 13 Word analysis

• And these bottles of wine:
  • Bottles: Hebrew ne'od (נֵאד). Refers to wineskins, containers made from animal hides (goat, sheep, cow), commonly used for liquids. These would be sealed and carried. New, supple skins were ideal for new wine.
  • Wine: Hebrew yayin (יַיִן). Fermented grape juice. If still fermenting, new wine could expand and burst un-stretched new skins. This detail is intended to support their claim of a journey long enough for fermentation and wear to take their toll.
• which we filled, were new;
  • New: Hebrew chadash (חָדָשׁ). This is a critical deceptive detail. Claiming the skins were new at the start emphasizes the immense pressure and hardship of the alleged journey that caused such wear and tear in a short time.
• and, behold, they be rent:
  • Behold: Hebrew hinneh (הִנֵּה). An emphatic interjection, designed to draw attention forcefully, implying "look here!" or "see for yourselves!" It adds to the theatricality of their presentation.
  • Rent: Hebrew baqa' (בָּקַע). To cleave, split open, burst apart. It describes the condition of the wineskins as torn or burst, consistent with age, strenuous travel, or internal pressure from fermentation.
• and these our garments and our shoes are worn
  • Garments: Hebrew beged (בֶּגֶד), a general term for clothing.
  • Shoes: Hebrew na'al (נַעַל), typically sandals. Both clothing and footwear would indeed suffer considerable wear during long and difficult journeys in the ancient world.
  • Worn: Hebrew balah (בָּלָה). To wear out, become old, consume. Used specifically for the deteriorating condition of their apparel due to use.
• by reason of the very long journey.
  • Very long journey: Hebrew derekh rachowq m'od (דֶרֶךְ רָחוֹק מְאֹד). This is the linchpin of their deception. "Derekh" (way, road, journey), "rachowq" (far, distant), and "m'od" (very) together emphasize the supposed immense distance of their origin, positioning them outside the territories destined for Israelite conquest. This phrase is the narrative's central lie, linking all the physical evidence to their claim.

• Words-group analysis:
  • "And these bottles of wine...they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are worn": This catalog of items, collectively presented, serves as the material evidence. It is designed to impress upon the Israelites the physical hardship and long duration of their purported travel, making their story credible by appealing to common understanding of ancient journeys.
  • "which we filled, were new": This phrase cleverly amplifies the perceived hardship. The transformation of new items into dilapidated ones implies extreme conditions and exceptional duration, making their deception more potent.
  • "by reason of the very long journey": This phrase serves as the deceptive conclusion, the summary explanation that ties all the "proof" together. It is the verbal cornerstone of their ruse, designed to appeal to the Israelites' compassion and bypass divine command.

Joshua 9 13 Bonus section

The deceptive presentation in Joshua 9:13 serves as an ironic foil to Israel's own supernatural preservation during their wilderness wanderings, where their clothes and shoes miraculously did not wear out for forty years (Deu 8:4; Neh 9:21). Had the Israelites truly discerned by faith rather than mere sight, the Gibeonites' worn-out condition might have actually been a red flag, subtly revealing their ordinary, unprivileged state—unlike a people uniquely protected by God's provision. This verse subtly highlights the danger of relying solely on outward appearances and the crucial necessity of spiritual discernment and prayerful inquiry before the Lord when making significant decisions, especially regarding covenants or alliances. The Gibeonites’ tactic illustrates the human capacity for cunning manipulation to achieve self-preservation, demonstrating that earthly wisdom can circumvent divine will if God’s people neglect His direct guidance.

Joshua 9 13 Commentary

Joshua 9:13 is a precise description of the staged "evidence" that cemented the Gibeonites' deception. It details the careful selection and presentation of worn-out articles—burst new wineskins and tattered clothes and shoes—all meticulously crafted to paint a picture of an exhausting journey from a far-off land. The specificity of "new" bottles becoming "rent" emphasizes the severity and assumed length of their supposed travels, playing on the Israelite's practical understanding of ancient provisions. This visual testimony, coupled with their carefully worded narrative, proved convincing because the Israelites neglected to seek God's counsel. The Gibeonites understood human nature and the power of circumstantial evidence, using it to navigate around the divine directive for conquest and secure their survival.