Chapter 9

1And it was when all the kings that were on this side of the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the valley, and on all of the shore of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard (of this),   אוַיְהִ֣י כִשְׁמֹ֣עַ כָּל־הַמְּלָכִ֡ים אֲשֶׁר֩ בְּעֵ֨בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֜ן בָּהָ֣ר וּבַשְּׁפֵלָ֗ה וּבְכֹל֙ ח֚וֹף הַיָּ֣ם הַגָּד֔וֹל אֶל־מ֖וּל הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן הַֽחִתִּי֙ וְהָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ הַפְּרִזִּ֔י הַֽחִוִּ֖י וְהַיְבוּסִֽי:
2That they gathered together to war with Joshua and with Israel, with a single accord.   בוַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם עִם־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ וְעִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל פֶּ֖ה אֶחָֽד:
3And the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.   גוְיֹֽשְׁבֵ֨י גִבְע֜וֹן שָֽׁמְע֗וּ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָֹ֧ה יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ לִֽירִיח֖וֹ וְלָעָֽי:
4And they also acted with wile, and they went, and disguised as ambassadors, and they took worn sacks for their donkeys, and wine bottles, rotten, split, and tied together.   דוַיַּֽעֲשֹ֚וּ גַם־הֵ֙מָּה֙ בְּעָרְמָ֔ה וַיֵּֽלְכ֖וּ וַיִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ וַיִּקְח֞וּ שַׂקִּ֚ים בָּלִים֙ לַֽחֲמ֣וֹרֵיהֶ֔ם וְנֹאד֥וֹת יַ֙יִן֙ בָּלִ֔ים וּמְבֻקָּעִ֖ים וּמְצֹֽרָרִֽים:
And they also acted with wile. Just as Jacob’s sons dealt cunningly with Hamor the father of Shechem who was a Hivite; and the inhabitants of Gibeon were also from the Hivites, as it is stated in this episode.   וַיַּעֲשׂוּ גַּם הֵמָּה בְּעָרְמָה.  כְּמוֹ שֶׁעָשׂוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב בְּעָרְמָה (בראשית לד) וּבַחֲמוֹר אֲבִי שְׁכֶם שֶׁהָיָה חִוִּי, וְיוֹשְׁבֵי גִּבְעוֹן מִן הַחִוִּי הָיוּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמוּר בָּעִנְיָן.
disguised as ambassadors.  They made themselves like message carriers, from the expression of: “(וְצִיר) And a messenger was sent among the nations.” Now, every word, the beginning of whose root is ‘zade,’ when it is used as reflexive in the form of מתפעל or נתפעל, a ‘teth’ comes in the middle thereof, and separates the root letters of the word, like: מַה נִּצְטַדָּק ‘How will we justify ourselves?’ from the root צדק, [that he says נִצְטַדָּק,] and so: גשמה יִצְטַבַּע ‘his body will be bathed,’ from צבע.   וַיִּצְטַיָּרוּ.  עָשׂוּ עַצְמָם כְּהוֹלְכִים בִּשְׁלִיחוּת, לְשׁוֹן (ירמיהו מט יד): וְצִיר בַּגּוֹיִם שֻׁלַּח, וְכָל תֵּיבָה שֶׁתְּחִלַּת יְסוֹדָהּ צָדִ"י, כְּשֶׁהִיא מִתְפַּעֶלֶת ל' מִתְפַּעֵל, אוֹ נִתְפַּעֵל, בָּאָה טֵי"ת בְּתוֹכָהּ וְחוֹלֶקֶת אֶת אוֹתִיוֹת שָׁרְשֵׁי הַתֵּיבָה, כְּמוֹ (בראשית מד טז): מַה נִּצְטַדָּק, מִגִּזְרַת צֶדֶק, שֶׁאוֹמֵר נִּצְטַדַּק, וְכֵן (דניאל ד ל): גִּשְׁמֵהּ יִצְטַבַּע, מִגִּזְרַת צֶבַע.
wine bottles, rotten. so that they should appear like people coming from a distant land.   שַׂקִּים בָּלִים.  שֶׁיִּהְיוּ נִרְאִים כְּבָאִים מֵאֶרֶץ רְחוֹקָה.
and tied up. a synonym for מְבַקְּעִים, split., This is an Aramaic expression, as דחיטי ציריה, ‘the splits of the wheat kernels,’ דמיצרי זיקי, ‘which split the sacks.’   וּמְצֹרָרִים.  לְשׁוֹן מְבוּקָּעִים, לְשׁוֹן אֲרַמִּי: צִירְיָא דְּחִיטֵּי דְּמָצְרִי זִיקֵי.
5And worn, patched shoes on their feet, and worn garments upon them, and all the bread of their provisions was dry and mouldy.   הוּנְעָל֨וֹת בָּל֚וֹת וּמְטֻלָּאֹת֙ בְּרַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם וּשְׂלָמ֥וֹת בָּל֖וֹת עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְכֹל֙ לֶ֣חֶם צֵידָ֔ם יָבֵ֖שׁ הָיָ֥ה נִקֻּדִֽים:
and all the bread… was dry and mouldy. arsin in French, an expression of מוּקָד, burned [or toasted], and so did Jonathan render כִסְנִין.   נִקֻּדִים.  ארשי"ץ בְּלַעַז (שְׂרוּפִים כֶּעֵין צְנִימִים), לְשׁוֹן מוֹקֵד, וְכֵן תִּרְגְּמוֹ יוֹנָתָן: כִּסְנִין.
6And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: "We have come from a distant land, and now make a covenant with us."   ווַיֵּֽלְכ֧וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶל־הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֖ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיֹּֽאמְר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו וְאֶל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מֵאֶ֚רֶץ רְחוֹקָה֙ בָּ֔אנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית:
7And each of the men of Israel said to the Hivites: "Perhaps you dwell in my midst, and how can I make a covenant with you?"   זוַיֹּ֥אמֶר (כתיב וַיֹּ֥אמֶרו) אִֽישׁ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־הַֽחִוִּ֑י אוּלַ֗י בְּקִרְבִּי֙ אַתָּ֣ה יוֹשֵׁ֔ב וְאֵ֖יךְ אֶֽכְרָת־ (כתיב אֶֽכְרָות־) לְךָ֥ בְרִֽית:
Perhaps you dwell in my midst. Perhaps you are from the inhabitants of the land?   אוּלַי בְּקִרְבִּי אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב.  שֶׁמָּא מִיּוֹשְׁבֵי הָאָרֶץ אַתֶּם.
8And they said to Joshua: "We are your servants." And Joshua said to them, "Who are you and from where do you come?"   חוַיֹּֽאמְר֥וּ אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֖עַ עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֧ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ מִ֥י אַתֶּ֖ם וּמֵאַ֥יִן תָּבֹֽאוּ:
9And they said to him, "From a very distant land have your servants come, because of the Name of the Lord your God, for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt.   טוַֽיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו מֵאֶ֨רֶץ רְחוֹקָ֚ה מְאֹד֙ בָּ֣אוּ עֲבָדֶ֔יךָ לְשֵׁ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֣עְנוּ שָׁמְע֔וֹ וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֹ֖ה בְּמִצְרָֽיִם:
10And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.   יוְאֵ֣ת | כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֹ֗ה לִשְׁנֵי֙ מַלְכֵ֣י הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּעֵ֣בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן לְסִיחוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ חֶשְׁבּ֔וֹן וּלְע֥וֹג מֶֽלֶךְ־הַבָּשָׁ֖ן אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּעַשְׁתָּרֽוֹת:
11And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go towards them, and say to them, 'We are your servants; and now make a covenant with us.'   יאוַֽיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלֵ֡ינוּ זְקֵינֵינוּ֩ וְכָל־יֹֽשְׁבֵ֨י אַרְצֵ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר קְח֨וּ בְיֶדְכֶ֚ם צֵידָה֙ לַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּלְכ֖וּ לִקְרָאתָ֑ם וַֽאֲמַרְתֶּ֚ם אֲלֵיהֶם֙ עַבְדֵיכֶ֣ם אֲנַ֔חְנוּ וְעַתָּ֖ה כִּרְתוּ־לָ֥נוּ בְרִֽית:
12This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we set out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become mouldy.   יבזֶ֣ה | לַחְמֵ֗נוּ חָ֞ם הִצְטַיַּ֚דְנוּ אֹתוֹ֙ מִבָּ֣תֵּ֔ינוּ בְּי֥וֹם צֵאתֵ֖נוּ לָלֶ֣כֶת אֲלֵיכֶ֑ם וְעַתָּה֙ הִנֵּ֣ה יָבֵ֔שׁ וְהָיָ֖ה נִקֻּדִֽים:
we took… for our provision. Heb. הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ, an expression of צֵידָה provisions, i.e., when we took it out for provisions for the journey.   הִצְטַיַּדְנוּ.  לְשׁוֹן צֵדָה, כְּשֶׁהוֹצֵאנוּהוּ לְצֵדָה לַדֶּרֶךְ.
13And these wine-skins which we filled, were new; and, behold they are split. And these our garments and our shoes are worn because of the very long journey.   יגוְאֵ֨לֶּה נֹאד֚וֹת הַיַּ֙יִן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מִלֵּ֣אנוּ חֲדָשִׁ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֖ה הִתְבַּקָּ֑עוּ וְאֵ֚לֶּה שַׂלְמוֹתֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּנְעָלֵ֔ינוּ בָּל֕וּ מֵרֹ֥ב הַדֶּ֖רֶךְ מְאֹֽד:
14And the men took of their provision, and did not ask counsel of the mouth of the Lord.   ידוַיִּקְח֥וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִצֵּידָ֑ם וְאֶת־פִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה לֹ֥א שָׁאָֽלוּ:
And the men took of their provision. They accepted their words for they captured them with their mouths [מִצֵּידָם meaning from their hunting or capturing] an expression of: “and he who did not (צֵידָה) hunt.”   וַיִּקְחוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים מִצֵּידָם.  קִבְּלוּ דִּבְרֵיהֶם, שֶׁצָּדוּם בְּפִיהֶם, לְשׁוֹן (שמות כא יג): וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא צָדָה.
15And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore to them.   טווַיַּ֨עַשׂ לָהֶ֚ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ שָׁל֔וֹם וַיִּכְרֹ֥ת לָהֶ֛ם בְּרִ֖ית לְחַיּוֹתָ֑ם וַיִּשָּֽׁבְע֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם נְשִׂיאֵ֖י הָֽעֵדָֽה:
16And it was at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them.   טזוַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שְׁל֣שֶׁת יָמִ֔ים אַֽחֲרֵ֕י אֲשֶׁר־כָּֽרְת֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם בְּרִ֑ית וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֗וּ כִּֽי־קְרֹבִ֥ים הֵם֙ אֵלָ֔יו וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ הֵ֥ם יֹשְׁבִֽים:
17And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.   יזוַיִּסְע֣וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיָּבֹ֛אוּ אֶל־עָֽרֵיהֶ֖ם בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑י וְעָֽרֵיהֶם֙ גִּבְע֣וֹן וְהַכְּפִירָ֔ה וּבְאֵר֖וֹת וְקִרְיַ֥ת יְעָרִֽים:
18And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the princes.   יחוְלֹ֚א הִכּוּם֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־נִשְׁבְּע֚וּ לָהֶם֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הָֽעֵדָ֔ה בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּלֹּ֥נוּ כָל־הָֽעֵדָ֖ה עַל־הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים:
19And all the Princes said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel; now, therefore, we may not touch them.   יטוַיֹּֽאמְר֚וּ כָל־הַנְּשִׂיאִים֙ אֶל־כָּל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ נִשְׁבַּ֣עְנוּ לָהֶ֔ם בַּֽיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּ֕ה לֹ֥א נוּכַ֖ל לִנְגֹּ֥עַ בָּהֶֽם:
20This we will do to them, and let them live; and there will be no wrath upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them."   כזֹ֛את נַֽעֲשֶֹ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם וְהַֽחֲיֵ֣ה אוֹתָ֑ם וְלֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֚ה עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ קֶ֔צֶף עַל־הַשְּׁבוּעָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥עְנוּ לָהֶֽם:
21And the princes said to them, "Let them live.." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.   כאוַיֹּֽאמְר֧וּ אֲלֵיהֶ֛ם הַנְּשִׂיאִ֖ים יִֽחְי֑וּ וַ֠יִּֽהְי֠וּ חֹֽטְבֵ֨י עֵצִ֚ים וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־מַ֙יִם֙ לְכָל־הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבְּר֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם הַנְּשִׂיאִֽים:
22And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you dwell among us?   כבוַיִּקְרָ֚א לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֩מָּה֩ רִמִּיתֶ֨ם אֹתָ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר רְחוֹקִ֨ים אֲנַ֚חְנוּ מִכֶּם֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ יֹֽשְׁבִֽים:
23And now you are cursed, and there shall never fail to be slaves from you, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."   כגוְעַתָּ֖ה אֲרוּרִ֣ים אַתֶּ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֨ת מִכֶּ֜ם עֶ֗בֶד וְחֹֽטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹֽׁאֲבֵי־מַ֖יִם לְבֵ֥ית אֱלֹהָֽי:
24And they answered Joshua, and said, "Because it was certainly told to your servants how the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.   כדוַיַּֽעֲנ֨וּ אֶת־יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ וַיֹּֽאמְר֗וּ כִּי֩ הֻגֵּ֨ד הֻגַּ֚ד לַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֜ה יְהֹוָ֚ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֔וֹ לָתֵ֚ת לָכֶם֙ אֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּלְהַשְׁמִ֛יד אֶת־כָּל־יֹֽשְׁבֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֑ם וַנִּירָ֨א מְאֹ֚ד לְנַפְשֹׁתֵ֙ינוּ֙ מִפְּנֵיכֶ֔ם וַֽנַּֽעֲשֵֹ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
25And now, behold, we are in your hand. As it seems good and right to you to do to us, do."   כהוְעַתָּ֖ה הִנְנ֣וּ בְיָדֶ֑ךָ כַּטּ֨וֹב וְכַיָּשָׁ֧ר בְּעֵינֶ֛יךָ לַֽעֲשֹ֥וֹת לָ֖נוּ עֲשֵֹֽה:
26And he did so to them, and he delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.   כווַיַּ֥עַשׂ לָהֶ֖ם כֵּ֑ן וַיַּצֵּ֥ל אוֹתָ֛ם מִיַּ֥ד בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְלֹ֥א הֲרָגֽוּם:
27And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He would choose.   כזוַיִּתְּנֵ֨ם יְהוֹשֻׁ֜עַ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא חֹֽטְבֵ֥י עֵצִ֛ים וְשֹׁ֥אֲבֵי מַ֖יִם לָֽעֵדָ֑ה וּלְמִזְבַּ֚ח יְהֹוָה֙ עַד־הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִבְחָֽר: