Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us."’ New Living Translation 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.”’ English Standard Version So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ Berean Standard Bible So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ Berean Literal Bible And our elders and all those dwelling in our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take with you⁺ provisions for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them: We are your⁺ servants, and now make with us a covenant.’ King James Bible 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. New King James Version Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ New American Standard Bible So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ NASB 1995 “So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us."’ NASB 1977 “So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ Legacy Standard Bible So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, cut a covenant with us.”’ Amplified Bible So our elders and all the residents of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for the journey and go to meet the sons of Israel and say to them, “We are your servants; now make a covenant (treaty) with us.”’ Berean Annotated Bible So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your⁺ journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your⁺ servants. Please make a treaty with us. Christian Standard Bible So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, “We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.” ’ Holman Christian Standard Bible So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, “We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us."’ American Standard Version And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: and now make ye a covenant with us. Contemporary English Version Our leaders and everyone who lives in our country told us to meet with you and tell you that all of us are your servants. They said to ask you to make a peace treaty with our people. They told us to be sure and take along enough food for our journey. English Revised Version And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: and now make ye a covenant with us. GOD'S WORD® Translation Our leaders and everyone who lives in our country told us, 'Take what you need for the trip, and go meet them. Tell them, "We're at your mercy. Make a treaty with us right now."' Good News Translation Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us. International Standard Version So our leaders and all of the inhabitants of our country told us, 'Take provisions along with you for your journey, go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Come now and make a treaty with us."' NET Bible Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, 'Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, "We are willing to be your subjects. Make a treaty with us."' New Heart English Bible Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us."' Webster's Bible Translation Wherefore our elders, and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us: Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ World English Bible Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd our elderly, and all the inhabitants of our land speak to us, saying, Take provision in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and you have said to them: We [are] your servants, and now, make a covenant with us; Berean Literal Bible And our elders and all those dwelling in our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take with you⁺ provisions for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them: We are your⁺ servants, and now make with us a covenant.’ Young's Literal Translation And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us, saying, Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we are, and now, make with us a covenant; Smith's Literal Translation And our old men and all the inhabitants of our land will say to us, saying, Take in your hand food for the way, and go to meet them, and say to them, We your servants: and now cut out to us a covenant: Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd our ancients, and all the inhabitants of our country said to us: Take with you victuals for a long way, and go meet them, and say: We are your servants, make ye a league with us. Catholic Public Domain Version And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land, have said to us: ‘Take in hand provisions for the very long journey, and meet with them, and say: We are your servants; form a pact with us.’ New American Bible So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land said to us, ‘Take along provisions for the journey and go to meet them. Say to them: “We are your servants; now make a covenant with us.” ’ New Revised Standard Version So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey; go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; come now, make a treaty with us.”’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleWherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants; therefore now make a treaty with us. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the Elders and all the inhabitants of our land said to us: “Take with you provisions for the road and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your Servants therefore give to us the right hand” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying: Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them: We are your servants; and now make ye a covenant with us. Brenton Septuagint Translation And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and ye shall say to them, We are thy servants, and now make a covenant with us. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Deceit of the Gibeonites…10and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ 12This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy.… Cross References So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, Judges 11:5-6 and made war with them, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. / “Come,” they said, “be our commander, so that we can fight against the Ammonites.” 1 Samuel 8:4-5 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. / “Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” 2 Kings 11:17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people that they would be the LORD’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. ‘Take provisions for your journey; Genesis 45:21 So the sons of Israel did as they were told. Joseph gave them wagons as Pharaoh had instructed, and he also gave them provisions for their journey. Joshua 1:11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you will cross the Jordan to go in and take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’” Genesis 42:25 Then Joseph gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return each man’s silver to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This order was carried out, go to meet them and say to them: 1 Samuel 25:5-8 So David sent ten young men and instructed them, “Go up to Nabal at Carmel. Greet him in my name / and say to him, ‘Long life to you, and peace to you and to your house and to all that belongs to you. / Now I hear that it is time for shearing. When your shepherds were with us, we did not harass them, and nothing of theirs was missing the whole time they were in Carmel. … Exodus 4:27-28 Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. / And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform. Genesis 32:4-5 He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now. / I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’” We are your servants. 2 Kings 10:5 So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.” Genesis 50:18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” Genesis 44:16 “What can we say to my lord?” Judah replied. “How can we plead? How can we justify ourselves? God has exposed the iniquity of your servants. We are now my lord’s slaves—both we and the one who was found with the cup.” Please make a treaty with us.’ Genesis 26:28-31 “We can plainly see that the LORD has been with you,” they replied. “We recommend that there should now be an oath between us and you. Let us make a covenant with you / that you will not harm us, just as we have not harmed you but have done only good to you, sending you on your way in peace. And now you are blessed by the LORD.” / So Isaac prepared a feast for them, and they ate and drank. … Genesis 31:44-45 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it serve as a witness between you and me.” / So Jacob picked out a stone and set it up as a pillar, Genesis 21:27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Deuteronomy 20:10-11 When you approach a city to fight against it, you are to make an offer of peace. / If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you. Treasury of Scripture Why our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore now make you a league with us. our elders Esther 8:17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. Take Joshua 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. Matthew 10:9,10 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, … Luke 9:3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. with you [heb] in your hand Genesis 43:12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: we are your Joshua 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, Esther 8:17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. Jump to Previous Country Covenant Elders Hand Inhabitants Journey League Meet Provision Provisions Servants Victuals WhereforeJump to Next Country Covenant Elders Hand Inhabitants Journey League Meet Provision Provisions Servants Victuals WhereforeJoshua 9 1. The kings combine against Israel3. The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league 22. They are condemned to perpetual bondage So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us This phrase indicates a directive from the leaders of the Gibeonites, highlighting the hierarchical structure of ancient Near Eastern societies where elders held significant authority. The Gibeonites were Hivites, a Canaanite people, and their decision to deceive Israel was a strategic move to preserve their lives. This reflects the broader context of Canaanite fear and response to Israel's conquests, as seen in Joshua 2 with Rahab's acknowledgment of Israel's God. ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’ Persons / Places / Events 1. Elders of GibeonThe leaders of the Gibeonite people who devised a plan to deceive the Israelites into making a peace treaty. 2. Gibeonites Inhabitants of Gibeon, a Canaanite city, who feared the Israelites and sought to make a treaty with them through deception. 3. Israelites The people of God, led by Joshua, who were conquering the land of Canaan as God had commanded. 4. Joshua The leader of the Israelites, who was responsible for making decisions regarding treaties and warfare. 5. Canaan The land promised to the Israelites by God, which they were in the process of conquering. Teaching Points Discernment and Seeking God’s GuidanceThe Israelites failed to seek God's counsel before making a treaty with the Gibeonites. This teaches us the importance of seeking God's guidance in all decisions, especially those that seem straightforward. The Deceptiveness of Appearances The Gibeonites' deception reminds us that appearances can be misleading. We must be cautious and discerning, testing everything against God's Word. The Importance of Integrity Despite being deceived, the Israelites honored their treaty with the Gibeonites. This highlights the importance of keeping our commitments and maintaining integrity, even when it is difficult. God’s Sovereignty and Mercy Despite the deception, God used the situation for His purposes. This shows that God can work through our mistakes and still bring about His plans. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Joshua 9:11?2. How does Joshua 9:11 demonstrate the importance of seeking God's guidance in decisions? 3. What can we learn from the Gibeonites' strategy to avoid destruction in Joshua 9? 4. How does Joshua 9:11 connect with Proverbs 3:5-6 about trusting God? 5. In what ways can we apply Joshua's leadership response to modern-day challenges? 6. How does Joshua 9:11 illustrate the consequences of not consulting God in agreements? 7. How does Joshua 9:11 reflect on the theme of deception in the Bible? 8. What does Joshua 9:11 teach about the importance of discernment in leadership? 9. How does the Gibeonites' deception challenge our understanding of God's justice in Joshua 9:11? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Joshua 9? 11. What is Gibeon's significance in the Bible? 12. Why would an omniscient God allow His leaders to be misled in such a strategic event (Joshua 9)? 13. (2 Chronicles 10:6-8) Why would Rehoboam ignore experienced elders' counsel, despite the text indicating he had access to wisdom? 14. Why is there no clear historical or archeological record outside the Bible confirming Gibeonite tribute (Joshua 9:21)? What Does Joshua 9:11 Mean So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us• The Gibeonites speak of “elders,” showing they operate under recognized civic authority much like Israel’s own elders (Exodus 3:16; Deuteronomy 29:10–12). • By mentioning “inhabitants,” they imply a united front; everyone in the city-states agrees on this plan. Their unanimity highlights the widespread fear caused by Israel’s recent victories at Jericho and Ai (Joshua 2:9–11; 9:24). • The statement emphasizes deliberation, not impulse. They have weighed Israel’s unstoppable advance and conclude that negotiation is wiser than resistance (Proverbs 15:22). Take provisions for your journey • The elders instruct the envoys to pack stale, cracked bread and worn wineskins (Joshua 9:12–13). The props reinforce their claim of coming from “a distant land.” • Similar travel provisions appear when David fled from Saul with consecrated bread (1 Samuel 21:3–6); food often marks urgent, precarious journeys. • The phrase reminds us that deception often mingles a fragment of truth (they really did travel) with carefully staged evidence (bread purposely left to mold). Scripture repeatedly warns about judging only by outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7; John 7:24). Go to meet them • Rather than wait for Israel to arrive, the Gibeonites travel to Gilgal (Joshua 9:6). Initiative gives them a strategic advantage; first impressions shape negotiations. • Throughout Joshua, meeting “face to face” signals turning points—Rahab meets the spies (Joshua 2:2–4), the commander of the LORD’s army meets Joshua (Joshua 5:13–15). Here, the meeting presents Israel with its most subtle test yet: Can they discern truth from pretense? • Centuries later, Gibeon becomes a place where God answers Solomon (1 Kings 3:4–5), showing the lasting effect of this encounter. Say to them: We are your servants • “Servants” (literally, bond-servants) expresses total submission—much like Jacob’s repeated message to Esau, “Your servant Jacob says…” (Genesis 32:18). • The language flatters Joshua, inviting him to see the Gibeonites as harmless dependents rather than as Canaanite neighbors under God’s judgment (Deuteronomy 7:1–2). • Israel’s leaders later repeat the phrase when confronted: “Your servants were clearly told…” (Joshua 9:24), proving the ruse worked. The episode illustrates Jesus’ caution, “Be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Please make a treaty with us • A “treaty” (covenant) invokes solemn, binding commitments (Genesis 15:17–18; Joshua 9:15). Gibeon seeks the very protection God had reserved for distant nations willing to surrender (Deuteronomy 20:10–15), while hoping Israel will overlook the command not to covenant with Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:2; Exodus 23:32). • The request exposes a tension: God’s people must balance mercy with obedience. Israel errs by failing to consult the LORD first (Joshua 9:14), teaching that even obvious acts of kindness require prayerful discernment. • Once sworn, the covenant stands. Centuries later, Saul’s violation of it brings famine until David makes restitution (2 Samuel 21:1–3). God holds His people to their word. summary Joshua 9:11 records the carefully crafted script Gibeon’s leaders give their envoys. Every clause—authority of elders, deceptive provisions, proactive meeting, humble self-designation, plea for covenant—shows a calculated bid for survival. The verse underscores Israel’s need for constant reliance on the LORD’s guidance, reminds us that appearances can mislead, and showcases God’s insistence that His people honor sworn promises even when obtained under false pretenses. Verse 11. - Our elders. Gibeon and its allied cities did not possess a regal government (see note on ver. 3).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So the eldersזְֽקֵינֵינוּ֩ (zə·qê·nê·nū) Adjective - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 2205: Old and וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every inhabitants יֹשְׁבֵ֨י (yō·šə·ḇê) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry of our land אַרְצֵ֜נוּ (’ar·ṣê·nū) Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common plural Strong's 776: Earth, land told וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (way·yō·mə·rū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say us, אֵלֵ֡ינוּ (’ê·lê·nū) Preposition | first person common plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to ‘Take קְח֨וּ (qə·ḥū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 3947: To take provisions צֵידָה֙ (ṣê·ḏāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 6720: Provision, food for your journey; לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ (lad·de·reḵ) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action go וּלְכ֖וּ (ū·lə·ḵū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk to meet them לִקְרָאתָ֑ם (liq·rā·ṯām) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 7125: Against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way and say וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם (wa·’ă·mar·tem) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 559: To utter, say to them: אֲלֵיהֶם֙ (’ă·lê·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to We אֲנַ֔חְנוּ (’ă·naḥ·nū) Pronoun - first person common plural Strong's 587: We are your servants. עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם (‘aḇ·ḏê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 5650: Slave, servant Please make כִּרְתוּ־ (kir·ṯū-) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant a treaty with us.’ בְרִֽית׃ (ḇə·rîṯ) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1285: A covenant Links Joshua 9:11 NIVJoshua 9:11 NLT Joshua 9:11 ESV Joshua 9:11 NASB Joshua 9:11 KJV Joshua 9:11 BibleApps.com Joshua 9:11 Biblia Paralela Joshua 9:11 Chinese Bible Joshua 9:11 French Bible Joshua 9:11 Catholic Bible OT History: Joshua 9:11 Our elders and all the inhabitants (Josh. 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