Joshua 9 · Verse 14

Joshua 9:14

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.
Joshua 9:14, King James Version

Joshua 9:14 in other translations

BSBThen the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.
WEBThe men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from the LORD’s mouth.
ASVAnd the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth of Jehovah.
YLTAnd the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;
DARBYAnd the men took of their victuals, but they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah.
BBEAnd the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.
WebsterAnd the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

What does Joshua 9:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 9:3-15

Jos 9:3-15. The Gibeonites Obtain a League by Craft. 3-15. when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard--This town, as its name imports, was situated on a rocky eminence, about six miles northwest from Jerusalem, where the modern village of El Jib now stands. It was the capital of the Hivites, and a large important city (Jos 10:2). It seems to have formed, in union with a few other towns in the neighborhood, a free…

Read the full comment on Joshua 9:3-15 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 The men took of their victuals - This was done in all probability in the way of friendship; for, from time immemorial to the present day, eating together, in the Asiatic countries, is considered a token of unalterable friendship; and those who eat even salt together, feel themselves bound thereby in a perpetual covenant. But the marginal reading of this clause should not be hastily rejected. And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord - They made the covenant with the Gibeonites without consulting God by Urim and Thummim, which was highly reprehensible in them, as it was a state transaction in which the interests and honor of God their king were intimately concerned.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 9:14-21
The Israelites, having examined the provisions of the Gibeonites, hastily concluded that they confirmed their account. We make more haste than good speed, when we stay not to take God with us, and do not consult him by the word and prayer. The fraud was soon found out. A lying tongue is but for a moment. Had the oath been in itself unlawful, it would not have been binding; for no obligation can render it our duty to commit a sin. But it was not unlawful to spare the Canaanites who submitted, and left idolatry, desiring only that their lives might be spared. A citizen of Zion swears to his own hurt, and changes not, Psa 15:4. Joshua and the princes, when they found that they had been deceived, did not apply to Eleazar the high priest to be freed from their engagement, much less did they pretend that no faith is to be kept with those to whom they had sworn. Let this convince us how we ought to keep our promises, and make good our bargains; and what conscience we ought to make of our words.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Joshua 9:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקְח֥וּvai.yik.Chuand they tookH3947
הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֖יםha.'a.na.Shimthe menH582
מִצֵּידָ֑םmi.tzei.Damsome of provision[s] theirH6718
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
פִּ֥יpi[the] mouth ofH6310
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
שָׁאָֽלוּ\׃sha.'A.luthey askedH7592

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Joshua 9:14

  • Proverbs 3:5-6

    Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

  • Numbers 27:21

    And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

  • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

    So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

  • 2 Samuel 5:19

    And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

  • Ezra 8:21

    Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

  • Judges 20:28

    And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,) saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the Lord said, Go up; for to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

  • Judges 1:1

    Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

  • 2 Samuel 2:1

    And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

  • 1 Samuel 23:9-12

    And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down. Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.

  • Isaiah 30:1-2

    Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

  • James 1:5

    If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

  • 1 Samuel 30:7-8

    And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the men took of their victuals. or, they received the men byreason of their victuals. asked not.
Ex 28:30; Nu 27:21; Jud 1:1; 20:18,28; 1Sa 14:18,19; 22:10; 23:9-12
1Sa 30:7,8; 2Sa 2:1; 5:19; 1Ch 10:13,14; Ezr 8:21; Pr 3:5,6
Isa 30:1,2; Jas 1:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Joshua 9:13

    And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

  • Joshua 9:14

    And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

  • Joshua 9:15

    And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

Read all of Joshua 9

Joshua 9:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y los hombres de Israel tomaron de su provisión del camino, y no preguntaron á la boca de Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les hommes d’Israël prirent de leurs provisions; et on n’interrogea point la bouche de l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Männer nahmen von ihrer Zehrung; aber den Mund Jehovas befragten sie nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Susceperunt igitur de cibariis eorum, et os Domini non interrogaverunt.