Joshua 9 5

Joshua 9:5 kjv

And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

Joshua 9:5 nkjv

old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

Joshua 9:5 niv

They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.

Joshua 9:5 esv

with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly.

Joshua 9:5 nlt

They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy.

Joshua 9 verses

Joshua 9 5 Meaning

Joshua 9:5 describes the detailed, visible signs of the Gibeonites' elaborate deception presented to Joshua and the Israelites. Their goal was to convince Israel they had traveled a great distance, fabricating a pretense for a peace treaty forbidden with closer Canaanite nations. The verse meticulously lists worn-out and patched sandals and garments, alongside dry and crumbly bread, all designed to portray an appearance of a long and arduous journey from a very distant land, thereby circumventing God's command to utterly destroy the inhabitants of Canaan.

Joshua 9 5 Context

Joshua chapter 9 immediately follows significant Israelite victories at Jericho and Ai, which established their formidable reputation and instilled fear throughout Canaan. News of Israel's unwavering God-given power and their commanded destruction of the local inhabitants reached all the kings west of the Jordan (Josh 9:1-2). Unlike other kings who united against Israel, the Gibeonites, inhabitants of a strategically important city, chose cunning. Knowing of God's command through Moses (Deut 7:2; 20:16-18) that Israel must not make peace with the peoples in the Promised Land, but only with distant nations, the Gibeonites concocted an elaborate deception. Joshua 9:5 serves as a detailed description of the props they used to feign a long journey from a faraway land, specifically to manipulate Joshua and the elders into making a covenant with them, which the Mosaic law would have allowed if they genuinely were from outside Canaan.

Joshua 9 5 Word analysis

• And worn-out, patched sandals (Hebrew: ū-na‘ălēhem bālôt ū-metulā’ôt)
  • na‘ălēhem (נַעֲלֵיהֶם): "their sandals." Sandals were essential for travel in the ancient Near East, offering protection from rough terrain and heat. Their condition directly indicated the nature and length of a journey.
  • bālôt (בָּלוֹת): "worn-out," "old," "worn away." From the root balah (בלה), meaning "to decay," "to wear out." It describes a state of severe deterioration, implying extended use over long distances.
  • ū-metulā’ôt (וּמְטֻלָּאוֹת): "and patched." From the root tālā’ (טלא), meaning "to patch," "to mend." The act of patching implies a desperate attempt to maintain usability after extreme wear, further reinforcing the narrative of a very prolonged journey and inability to procure new ones. The combination bālôt ū-metulā’ôt paints a vivid picture of calculated shabbiness designed for maximum deceptive effect.
• on their feet (על־רַגְלֵיהֶם - ‘al-raglēhem)
  • Literally "upon their feet." This emphasizes the immediate visual impact and direct evidence of their "travel," reinforcing the sensory detail of their presentation. It highlights the Gibeonites' attention to every visual aspect of their charade.
• and worn-out, patched garments (וּשְׂקִים בָּלִים וּמְטֻלָּאִים עֲלֵיהֶם - ū-śakkı̄m bālîm ū-metulā’îm ‘ălēhem)
  • śakkı̄m (שׂקים): Usually translates to "sacks" or "sackcloth," often worn for mourning or distress. Here, given the context of everyday attire, it refers to coarse outer garments or clothing made from rough material. It might also subtly hint at a state of hardship.
  • bālîm (בָּלִים): "worn-out." Same root as bālôt for sandals, denoting heavy use and decay.
  • ū-metulā’îm (וּמְטֻלָּאִים): "and patched." Same root as metulā’ôt for sandals. This parallel description shows consistency in their "suffering" from the long journey.
  • ‘ălēhem (עֲלֵיהֶם): "on them." Again, stressing the immediate visible signs of their purported travel on their bodies.
• and all their supply of bread (וְכֹל לֶחֶם צֵידָם - wǝ-ḵol leḥem ṣêḏam)
  • ḵol (כל): "all," "the whole of." Emphasizes that every piece of bread shared the same decayed condition.
  • leḥem (לֶחֶם): "bread." A staple food, foundational to sustenance in the ancient world. The condition of one's bread directly reflects the duration of a journey and its exposure to elements.
  • ṣêḏam (צֵידָם): "their provision" or "their food for a journey/hunting." From ṣayyid (ציד), meaning "provision for a journey," "game" (hunting). This clarifies that it was bread specifically intended for travel, making its deteriorated state highly significant to their lie.
• was dry and crumbly (יָבֵשׁ וְהָיָה נִקֻּדִים - yābēsh wǝ-hāyāh niqqūdı̄m)
  • yābēsh (יָבֵשׁ): "was dry," "withered," "parched." Implies long exposure, heat, and age. Bread that has been stored for a very long time in travel conditions would become hard and dry.
  • wǝ-hāyāh niqqūdı̄m (וְהָיָה נִקֻּדִים): "and it became crumbly/moldy/spotted." From nāqād (נקד), meaning "to be dotted," "spotted." In this context, it describes bread that has not only dried out but has also gone bad, perhaps developing mold or crumbling into pieces from its age and exposure to the elements during their alleged long journey. This condition goes beyond mere staleness; it signifies advanced decay. The term suggests spotted with mold, signifying rottenness rather than just dryness.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "worn-out, patched sandals... worn-out, patched garments...": This repetition of bālôt/bālîm ū-metulā’ôt/metulā’îm emphasizes the consistency and meticulousness of the Gibeonites' deceptive portrayal. It points to deliberate staging and a profound understanding of what prolonged travel would look like. This carefully crafted visual rhetoric was designed to appeal directly to the Israelites' practical knowledge of travel.
  • "all their supply of bread was dry and crumbly": While clothing indicated time on the road, the condition of the bread served as irrefutable evidence in ancient times of food scarcity and passage of time. Freshly baked bread was perishable; bread that was "dry and crumbly" would have visibly undergone significant degradation over many weeks or months, cementing the false narrative of a journey from a faraway land. This specific detail was critical as a proof for their claim of having travelled a long distance.

Joshua 9 5 Bonus section

The Gibeonites' strategy implicitly understood Israel's obligation to maintain separate peace agreements for "very distant" lands as per Deut 20:11-15, contrasted with the command for total destruction of local Canaanite peoples (Deut 20:16-18). Their deception, meticulously detailed in this verse, therefore specifically targeted this distinction in Israelite law. The narrative highlights the enduring challenge for believers to move beyond superficial observations and always prioritize spiritual discernment, a practice essential for adhering to God's will and avoiding costly errors, even when confronted with compelling 'evidence.' The enduring lesson here is that a perceived 'emergency' or seemingly obvious situation should never bypass the critical step of seeking divine counsel.

Joshua 9 5 Commentary

Joshua 9:5 offers a profound glimpse into the meticulous nature of deception and the susceptibility of even the spiritually astute when they rely solely on outward appearance and human reasoning. The Gibeonites' props, specifically the "worn-out, patched sandals and garments" and "dry and crumbly bread," were not random; they were carefully selected and prepared elements designed to visually corroborate a false narrative of an extended journey. This verse highlights their cleverness in leveraging Israel's understanding of logistics and travel hardship. Israel, fresh from miraculous victories that affirmed God's power and direct leading, unfortunately overlooked the crucial step of consulting the Lord. They relied on what their eyes could see, mistaking the appearance for reality. The condition of the bread, in particular, was a seemingly unassailable piece of evidence, yet it was part of a masterfully executed lie. This failure of discernment led to a treaty that directly contradicted God's clear command for Israel concerning the Canaanite nations, a covenant made in haste without seeking divine wisdom.