Joshua 9 4

Joshua 9:4 kjv

They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

Joshua 9:4 nkjv

they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended,

Joshua 9:4 niv

they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

Joshua 9:4 esv

they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended,

Joshua 9:4 nlt

they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins.

Joshua 9 verses

Joshua 9 4 Meaning

Joshua 9:4 describes the specific and meticulously planned deceptive tactics employed by the Gibeonites to mislead the Israelites. Driven by fear and seeking to avoid the decreed destruction for the inhabitants of Canaan, they craftily presented themselves as ambassadors from a very distant land. Their pretense was supported by an array of worn-out and dilapidated provisions, chosen to create a convincing illusion of having traveled an arduous journey from afar, thereby circumventing God's command to utterly destroy the local peoples within the Promised Land.

Joshua 9 4 Context

Joshua chapter 9 immediately follows significant Israelite victories at Jericho and Ai, which instilled great fear among the local kings in Canaan. Unlike these kings who resolved to fight Israel collectively (Josh 9:1-2), the Gibeonites—a Hivite people—opted for a strategy of cunning deception. They were aware of the devastating power of Israel's God and His victories against the Amorite kings east of the Jordan, as well as the recent fall of Jericho and Ai (Josh 9:9-10). Knowing God's explicit command to Israel to utterly destroy all the inhabitants of the land and make no covenants with them, the Gibeonites devised an elaborate ruse. This verse, Joshua 9:4, details the specific elements of their deceptive presentation, which was meticulously designed to appear as if they were ambassadors from a far-off land, thus tricking Israel into making a forbidden treaty and sparing their lives.

Joshua 9 4 Word analysis

• they also acted with cunning (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַּם הֵמָּה בְּעָרְמָה, vayyaʿaśu gam hemmâ beʿormâh):

  • "cunning" (בְּעָרְמָה, beʿormâh): From the root עָרְמָה (ʿormah), signifying shrewdness, craftiness, or subtilty. In this context, it carries a negative connotation, implying deceptive ingenuity or wiliness. It points to a deliberate, strategic, and artful use of intelligence to trick someone. The use of this word emphasizes the premeditated and calculating nature of their plan.
  • Significance: Highlights that the Gibeonites' action was not a random plea but a well-thought-out scheme, demonstrating their understanding of how to exploit a situation for survival.

• and went and made as if they had been ambassadors (וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ לַצִּירִים, vayyēlḵu vayyiṣṭayyāru latstsîrîm):

  • "made as if they had been" (וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ, vayyiṣṭayyāru): This verb is a reflexive form (Hithpael) from the root צוּר (ṣūr), which means to fashion, mold, or to take shape. In this specific grammatical form and context, it conveys the idea of feigning, disguising, or counterfeiting one's identity. They fashioned themselves into a specific guise.
  • "ambassadors" (לַצִּירִים, latsstsîrîm): From the noun צִיר (tsîr), meaning a messenger or envoy, often used for official representatives of a foreign power.
  • Significance: This phrase emphasizes the performative aspect of their deception. They didn't just tell a lie; they physically enacted the role of an official delegation, which traditionally commanded respect and protection in ancient near eastern cultures. It shows the sophistication of their deception, going beyond mere words.

• and took old sacks upon their asses (וַיִּקְחוּ שַׂקִּים בָּלִים עַל-חֲמֹרֵיהֶם, vayyiqḥû saqqîm bālîm ʿal-ḥamōrêhem):

  • "old sacks" (שַׂקִּים בָּלִים, saqqîm bālîm): Saqqim refers to sacks, typically made of coarse fabric like sackcloth, used for carrying provisions or grain. Bālîm (from בָּלָה, bālāh) means worn out, old, decayed, or threadbare.
  • "asses" (חֲמֹרֵיהֶם, ḥamōrêhem): Donkeys, common beasts of burden for travel and transport in that era.
  • Significance: These details provide visual evidence of a long and difficult journey, corroborating their fabricated story. Old, worn sacks suggest they'd been packed and unpacked repeatedly over a significant distance and time. The act of "taking" them specifically highlights their deliberate choice of props for the deceit.

• and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up (וְנֹאדוֹת יָשָׁנִים וּמְבֻקָּעִים וּמְחֻרִּים, wĕnōʾḏôṯ yāšānîm ūmĕbuqqāʿîm ūmĕḥurriym):

  • "wine-skins" (נֹאדוֹת, nōʾḏôṯ): Plural of נֹאד (nōʾḏ), a skin bottle, typically made from animal hide (e.g., goat or sheep) used for carrying liquids like wine or water.
  • "old" (יָשָׁנִים, yāšānîm): Aged, venerable, or simply old, indicating a long period of use.
  • "rent" (וּמְבֻקָּעִים, ūmĕbuqqāʿîm): From בָּקַע (bāqaʿ), meaning torn, burst, or split open. Suggests damage from wear and tear.
  • "bound up" (וּמְחֻרִּים, ūmĕḥurriym): From חָרָה (ḥārâh), here a passive participle meaning patched, sewn, or fastened, likely with cords or straps to repair the damage.
  • Significance: This highly specific and detailed description reinforces the depth of the Gibeonites' planning. Old, torn, and patched wineskins are tangible proof of continuous use over a very long journey, making their claim of distant origin highly plausible to the eye. This meticulous stagecraft was central to their success.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "they also acted with cunning, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors": This phrase details the Gibeonites' proactive, intelligent, and highly deceptive decision-making. It reveals a sophisticated strategy where they "put on a performance" of being diplomatic envoys rather than direct combatants or outright supplicants, carefully choosing a disguise to achieve their objective of survival.
  • "old sacks upon their asses, and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up": This cluster of descriptive elements functions as crucial physical evidence within their fabricated narrative. Every item listed is a carefully selected "prop" in their charade. The emphasis on "old," "rent," and "bound up" vividly portrays wear and tear, effectively selling the story of an exhaustive and extended journey, directly appealing to visual perception and practical understanding of travel to deceive their audience.

Joshua 9 4 Bonus section

• The Gibeonites, despite their deceptive nature, were ultimately saved from total annihilation, but they were subjected to a life of servitude, becoming "cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD" (Josh 9:21, 23). This outcome reflects both God's allowance of their cunning and the unbreakable nature of the covenant made under false pretenses by Israel.
• This account offers a stark lesson for believers regarding the importance of careful discernment and dependence on the Lord, rather than human reason or superficial appearances, especially when dealing with critical matters of covenant or obedience to God's clear commands.
• The elaborate nature of the Gibeonites' ruse underscores their profound fear and deep understanding of the gravity of the divine command concerning the eradication of the inhabitants of Canaan. They went to extreme lengths because they knew the severe consequences of being identified as a local people.

Joshua 9 4 Commentary

Joshua 9:4 illuminates the essence of the Gibeonites' clever survival strategy: profound deception born of desperate fear. Having heard of the God of Israel's mighty acts and His people's conquests, they recognized the futility of armed resistance and the clear divine command against the Canaanite nations. Their response was not repentance or open plea but a meticulously crafted illusion. Every detail mentioned—the cunning itself, the guise of ambassadors, the old sacks, and especially the old, torn, and mended wineskins—speaks to a pre-planned, systematic, and well-executed stratagem. This verse establishes the foundation for Israel's significant misjudgment in chapter 9: by presenting such compelling visual and circumstantial "proof" of their distant origin, the Gibeonites bypassed direct inquiry to God (Josh 9:14), appealing instead to the Israelites' natural perception. This incident serves as a biblical warning against relying solely on outward appearances and highlights the crucial need for divine counsel in discernment, emphasizing that human cunning can momentarily override spiritual obedience with long-lasting consequences.