Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
So our leaders and all the people of our country told us, 'Take food with you for the trip, and go meet them. Tell them, "We are your servants; please make a treaty with us."'
The Gibeonites are telling Joshua that their leaders sent them with provisions to make a peace treaty, claiming to be willing servants.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of the Gibeonites' deceptive plan to avoid destruction by the Israelites. The Gibeonites lived nearby in Canaan but pretended to be from a distant country, using old bread, worn-out clothes, and patched wineskins to make it seem like they had traveled far. They knew God had commanded Israel to destroy the Canaanite peoples, so they devised this ruse to save their lives by making a peace treaty.
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