Bible Strands
Joshua 9:3
But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator reports the actions of the inhabitants of Gibeon at the moment they receive news of Joshua’s conquests. This occurs immediately after neighboring kings mobilize for war and before Gibeon’s envoys depart with their deceptive provisions.
The words — The verb שָׁמְעוּ (sha.me.'U) translates literally as "they heard," denoting direct reception of the report. The relative clause אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה (a.Sher a.Sah) means "what he had done," specifically referencing Joshua’s prior military actions.
The thread — This awareness of Gibeon’s location and status reappears in Joshua 10:2 when Adoni-zedek reacts to the city’s political alignment. The narrative thread continues in Joshua 9:17 when Israelite forces reach the city, and resurfaces in 2 Samuel 21:1 during the famine inquiry.
Why it lands — The text records that reported intelligence, not direct observation, triggers Gibeon’s diplomatic strategy. It requires the reader to trace how factual reports directly enable the subsequent covenant negotiation.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
Cross-references
- Joshua 10:2 So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were mighty.
- Joshua 9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
- 2 Samuel 21:1 During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul and his family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
- Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
- Joshua 8:1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. See, I have delivered into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.