Joshua 9 9

Joshua 9:9 kjv

And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

Joshua 9:9 nkjv

So they said to him: "From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt,

Joshua 9:9 niv

They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt,

Joshua 9:9 esv

They said to him, "From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

Joshua 9:9 nlt

They answered, "Your servants have come from a very distant country. We have heard of the might of the LORD your God and of all he did in Egypt.

Joshua 9 verses

Joshua 9 9 Meaning

Joshua 9:9 states the Gibeonites' fabricated reason for approaching the Israelites: they claimed to be from a very distant land and were compelled to seek peace due to their knowledge of the Lord's great reputation and His powerful deeds in Egypt. This declaration, though theologically accurate about God's fame, was a carefully constructed deception designed to secure a treaty with Israel and avoid destruction.

Joshua 9 9 Context

Joshua chapter 9 immediately follows Israel's significant victories over Jericho and Ai, which spread widespread fear among the Canaanite kings (Joshua 9:1-2). Unlike other nations who formed a coalition to fight Israel (Joshua 9:1-2), the Hivites of Gibeon adopted a cunning strategy. Knowing the strict command for Israel to utterly destroy all the inhabitants of the immediate land (Deut 7:1-2; 20:16-18), but also aware of the provision to make treaties with "very distant" cities (Deut 20:10-15), the Gibeonites devised a deception. They sent representatives with worn-out clothing, moldy bread, and torn wineskins, claiming to have journeyed from a far-off land. Joshua 9:9 is their direct explanation of this fabricated story to Joshua and the leaders of Israel, central to their elaborate scheme to secure a covenant of peace and survival. Israel, tragically, failed to consult the Lord before believing their story (Joshua 9:14), leading to a binding oath and later complications.

Joshua 9 9 Word analysis

• "They answered Joshua," (וַיַּעֲנוּ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, vayya‘ănû ‘et-yᵉhôshua‘): This marks the start of the Gibeonites' well-prepared and deceptive narrative, delivered with intentional gravity to convince the Israelite leaders.
• "From a very distant country" (מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה מְאֹד, mē’erets rᵉḥōqāh mə’ōd):
  • ’erets (אֶרֶץ): "Land" or "country."
  • rᵉḥōqāh (רְחוֹקָה): "Distant," "far away." This adjective, coupled with ’erets, defines the geographical scope they falsely claim.
  • mə’ōd (מְאֹד): "Very," "exceedingly." This intensifier is crucial, as the extreme distance claimed directly aligns with the legal loophole in Israelite war regulations regarding making treaties (Deut 20:15). Their choice of words indicates shrewdness.
• "your servants have come," (בָּאוּ עֲבָדֶיךָ, bā’û ‘ăvādêkā):
  • ‘ăvādêkā (עֲבָדֶיךָ): "Your servants." This term signifies submission and humility, typically used by an inferior to address a superior. It was a common diplomatic formula to express a desire for peaceful relations rather than hostility. It cleverly positions them as subjects seeking terms, not adversaries.
• "because of the name of the Lord your God." (מִפְּנֵי שֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, mippĕnê shēm YHVH ‘ĕlōheykā):
  • mippĕnê (מִפְּנֵי): Literally "from the face of," or "on account of," "because of." It points to the direct motivation for their supposed long journey.
  • shēm (שֵׁם): "Name." In biblical thought, "the name of the Lord" embodies God's character, reputation, authority, power, and essence. It’s not just a label but the revelation of God’s nature and power. The Gibeonites recognized and feared this revealed power.
  • YHVH ‘ĕlōheykā (יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ): "The Lord your God." They correctly identify Yahweh as the God of Israel. This religious acknowledgment, though employed for deceit, underscores the pervasive impact of God’s works even among non-Israelites.
• "We have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt." (כִּי־שָׁמַעְנוּ אֶת־שִׁמְעוֹ וְאֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְמִצְרָיִם, kî-shāma‘nû ’et-shim‘ô wᵉ’ēt kol-’ăsher ‘āśāh vǝmitsrayim):
  • shim‘ô (שִׁמְעוֹ): "His report," "His fame," or "His renown." It derives from the verb "to hear" (shama‘). It specifies that it was the heard reputation of God, not direct observation, that motivated them.
  • kol-’ăsher ‘āśāh bǝmitsrayim (כָּל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה בְמִצְרָיִם): "All that He did in Egypt." This specifically refers to the devastating plagues and the miraculous Exodus. These were widely known acts of divine power, validating the spread of God’s fame far beyond Israel's borders.

Words-Group Analysis

• "From a very distant country your servants have come,": This phrase constitutes the core of their fraudulent claim, crafted to meet the precise criteria of Deuteronomy 20:15 concerning distant nations with whom Israel could make treaties. The exaggerated "very distant" combined with the submissive "your servants" aimed to prevent any suspicion of their true, immediate origin as Canaanites subject to destruction.
• "because of the name of the Lord your God. We have heard of His fame and all that He did in Egypt.": This second part provides the powerful, theological justification for their fabricated journey. While the Gibeonites are masters of deceit, their declaration about God's name, fame, and deeds in Egypt is profoundly accurate. It demonstrates their genuine knowledge and apprehension of Yahweh's overwhelming power, distinguishing Him from any local deity. They effectively leveraged truth about God's revelation to achieve their deceptive ends, indicating a sophisticated understanding of Israelite motivations. Their fear of Yahweh’s power, as demonstrated in Egypt, was real, even if their actions based on that fear were dishonest.

Joshua 9 9 Bonus Section

• The Gibeonites' cunning, though morally questionable, contrasts with the hardheartedness of other Canaanite nations (Josh 11:19-20), highlighting a form of pragmatic "faith" or at least intellectual assent to Yahweh's power. Their actions show that God's acts of judgment and redemption serve to spread His fame even among those outside the covenant.
• The narrative implicitly showcases the universality of God's revelation; His deeds were so profound they became common knowledge far and wide, influencing nations beyond Israel's immediate sphere. This fear, however, led to manipulation rather than true repentance or worship.
• This incident serves as a crucial reminder for Israel, and believers today, that seemingly pious declarations or convincing circumstances must always be tested through diligent prayer and seeking God's counsel, as appearances can be deceptive (Josh 9:14).

Joshua 9 9 Commentary

Joshua 9:9 captures the Gibeonites' strategic deception, a shrewd blending of genuine fear of Yahweh and manipulative falsehoods. They articulated their deep understanding that God's power, particularly as manifested in the Exodus events, had become legendary and formidable even to nations outside Israel. By specifically referencing "the name of the Lord" and "all that He did in Egypt," they presented themselves as awestruck foreign admirers rather than immediate, proscribed enemies. Their carefully chosen words appealed to Israel's pride in their God and subtly reminded them of God's universal reputation, intending to bypass the command of total destruction for Canaanite nations. This verse thus highlights the power of God's renown to strike fear even into the hearts of those destined for judgment, and also showcases human cunning in using truth for deceitful purposes, laying the groundwork for Israel's significant misstep in making an un-consulted covenant.