Scriptures

New Living Translation (NLT)

Joshua 9
⁸ They replied, “We are your servants.” “But who are you?” Joshua demanded. “Where do you come from?”
⁹ 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.
¹⁰ We have also heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River—King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan (who lived in Ashtaroth).
¹¹ So our elders and all our people instructed us, ‘Take supplies for a long journey. Go meet with the people of Israel and tell them, “We are your servants; please make a treaty with us.”’
¹² “This bread was hot from the ovens when we left our homes. But now, as you can see, it is dry and moldy.
¹³ 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.”
¹⁴ So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.
¹⁵ Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.
¹⁶ Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby!
¹⁷ The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty.