Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, September 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

New Living Translation

Joshua 9:26

So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Contracts;   Joshua;   Kirjath-Jearim;   Magnanimity;   Servant;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Gibeonites;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - All-Sufficiency of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Alliance;   Gibeon;   Slave;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeon;   Israel;   Joshua;   Stranger;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Nethinim;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Alliances;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gibeon and Gibeonites;   Hivites;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
This is what Joshua did to them: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
Hebrew Names Version
So did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Yisra'el, that they didn't kill them.
King James Version
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Lexham English Bible
So he did this to them: he saved them from the hand of the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
English Standard Version
So he did this to them and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel, and they did not kill them.
New Century Version
So Joshua saved their lives by not allowing the Israelites to kill them,
New English Translation
Joshua did as they said; he kept the Israelites from killing them
Amplified Bible
So that is what he did to them; he rescued them from the hands of the Israelites and they did not kill them.
New American Standard Bible
This he did to them, and saved them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Euen so did he vnto them, and deliuered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slewe them not.
Legacy Standard Bible
Thus he did to them and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.
Contemporary English Version
Joshua did not let the Israelites kill the Gibeonites,
Complete Jewish Bible
So Y'hoshua did exactly that: he saved them from the power of the people of Isra'el, so that they didn't kill them.
Darby Translation
And he did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the Gibeonites became slaves, but Joshua let them live. He did not allow the Israelites to kill them.
George Lamsa Translation
And so Joshua did unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, and they did not slay them.
Good News Translation
So this is what Joshua did: he protected them and did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.
Literal Translation
And he did so to them, and delivered them from the hand of the sons of Israel. And they did not kill them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he dyd euen so vnto them, and delyuered them from the children of Israels hade, that they shulde not slaye them.
American Standard Version
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Bible in Basic English
So he kept them safe from the children of Israel, and did not let them be put to death.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And euen so did he vnto them, and rid them out of the hande of the chyldren of Israel, that they slue them not.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
King James Version (1611)
And so did he vnto them, and deliuered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Aand they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
English Revised Version
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Berean Standard Bible
So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Josue dide, as he seide, and delyuerede hem fro the hondis of the sones of Israel, that thei schulden not be slayn.
Young's Literal Translation
And he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;
Update Bible Version
And so he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, that they did not slay them.
Webster's Bible Translation
And so did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
World English Bible
So did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they didn't kill them.
New King James Version
So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.
New Life Bible
So he did this to them. He saved them from the hands of the people of Israel. They did not kill them.
New Revised Standard
This is what he did for them: he saved them from the Israelites; and they did not kill them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he did to them so, - and rescued them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, and they slew them not.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So Josue did as he had said, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, that they should not be slain.
Revised Standard Version
So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the people of Israel; and they did not kill them.
THE MESSAGE
And that's what they did. Joshua delivered them from the power of the People of Israel so they didn't kill them. But he made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the Altar of God at the place God chooses. They still are.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.

Contextual Overview

22 Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, "Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us? 23 May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God." 24 They replied, "We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this. 25 Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right." 26 So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. 27 But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord —wherever the Lord would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.
Genesis 9:3
I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables.
Genesis 9:10
and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth.
Genesis 9:23
Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked.
Genesis 9:26
Then Noah said, "May the Lord , the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant!
Genesis 27:37
Isaac said to Esau, "I have made Jacob your master and have declared that all his brothers will be his servants. I have guaranteed him an abundance of grain and wine—what is left for me to give you, my son?"
Genesis 27:40
You will live by your sword, and you will serve your brother. But when you decide to break free, you will shake his yoke from your neck."
Deuteronomy 33:26
"There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor.
Psalms 144:15
Yes, joyful are those who live like this! Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord .
Romans 9:5
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are their ancestors, and Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God, the one who rules over everything and is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And so did he unto them,.... What was good and right, he showed them favour, and did them justice:

and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not; who were so incensed against them for imposing on them in the manner they did, that they were ready many of them to draw their swords and slay them; and would have done it, had it not been for the interposition of Joshua, and the orders he gave to the contrary.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 9:26. And so did he unto them — That is, he acted according to justice and mercy: he delivered them out of the hands of the people, so that they slew them not - here was mercy; and he made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and to the altar of God - here was justice. Thus Joshua did nothing but what was good and right, not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of the Lord.

How long the Gibeonites were preserved as a distinct people after this, we know not. That they existed in the time of David, is evident from the circumstance mentioned on Joshua 9:19. They are not mentioned after the captivity; and it is probable that they were nearly annihilated by the persecution raised up against them by Saul. Some suppose that the Gibeonites existed under the appellation of Nethinim; but of this there is no decisive proof; the Nethinim were probably slaves of a different race.

ON what we meet with in this chapter, we may make the following observations.

1. The Gibeonites told lies, in order to save their lives. No expediency can justify this, nor are we called to attempt it. The Gibeonites were heathens, and we can expect nothing better from them. Joshua 2:24.

2. They did not profit by their falsity: had they come in fairly, sought peace, and renounced their idolatry, they would have had life on honourable terms. As it was, they barely escaped with their lives, and were utterly deprived of their political liberty. Even the good that is sought by unlawful means has God's curse on it.

3. We need not be solicitous for the character of the Gibeonites here; they are neither our models, nor believers in the true God, and therefore pure religion is not concerned in their prevarication and falsity.

4. We see here of what solemn importance an oath was considered among the people of God; they swore to their own hurt, and changed not. When once they had bound themselves to their Maker, they did not believe that any changing circumstances could justify a departure from so awful an obligation. Thus, reader, shouldst thou fear a lie, and tremble at an oath.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile