Joshua 9 · Verse 3

Joshua 9:3

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
Joshua 9:3, King James Version

Joshua 9:3 in other translations

BSBBut the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
WEBBut when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
ASVBut when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
YLTAnd the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai,
DARBYAnd when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
BBEAnd the men of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
WebsterAnd when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

What does Joshua 9:3 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 independent state (Jos 9:17) and to have enjoyed a republican government (Jos 9:11).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 The inhabitants of Gibeon heard - These alone did not join the confederation. Gibeon is supposed to have been the capital of the Hivites. In the division of the land it fell to the lot of Benjamin, Jos 18:25, and was afterwards given to the priests, Jos 21:17. See the note on Jos 10:2.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Joshua 9:3-13
Other people heard these tidings, and were driven thereby to make war upon Israel; but the Gibeonites were led to make peace with them. Thus the discovery of the glory and the grace of God in the gospel, is to some a savour of life unto life, but to others a savour of death unto death, 2Co 2:16. The same sun softens wax and hardens clay. The falsehood of the Gibeonites cannot be justified. We must not do evil that good may themselves to the God of Israel, we have reason to think Joshua would have been directed by the oracle of God to spare their lives. But when they had once said, "We are come from a far country," they were led to say it made of skins, and their clothes: one lie brings on another, and that a third, and so on. The way of that sin is especially down-hill. Yet their faith and prudence are to be commended. In submitting to Israel they submitted to the God of Israel, which implied forsaking their idolatries. And how can we do better than cast ourselves upon the mercy of a God of all goodness? The way to avoid judgment is to meet it by repentance. Let us do like these Gibeonites, seek peace with God in the rags of abasement, and godly sorrow; so our sin shall not be our ruin. Let us be servants to Jesus, our blessed Joshua, and we shall live.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Joshua 9:3 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.

וְיֹשְׁבֵ֨יve.yo.she.Veiand [the] inhabitants ofH3427
גִבְע֜וֹןgiv.'onGibeonH1391
שָׁמְע֗וּsha.me.'Uthey heardH8085
אֵת֩'et<obj.>H853
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sher[that] whichH834
עָשָׂ֧ה'a.Sahhe had doneH6213
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַye.ho.Shu.a'JoshuaH3091
לִֽירִיח֖וֹli.ri.Choto JerichoH3405
וְלָעָֽי\׃ve.la.'Aiand to <the> AiH5857

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

Cross references for Joshua 9:3

  • Joshua 10:2

    That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.

  • Joshua 9:17

    And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath–jearim.

  • 2 Samuel 21:1-2

    Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)

  • Joshua 6:1-27

    Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. …

  • Joshua 8:1-35

    And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it. So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: …

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gibeon.
17; 10:2; 2Sa 21:1,2
Jericho.
6:1-27; 8:1-35

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

Context

  • Joshua 9:2

    That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

  • Joshua 9:3

    And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

  • Joshua 9:4

    They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

Read all of Joshua 9

Joshua 9:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas los moradores de Gabaón, como oyeron lo que Josué había hecho á Jericó y á Hai,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et les habitants de Gabaon entendirent ce que Josué avait fait à Jéricho et à Aï;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Bewohner von Gibeon aber, als sie hörten, was Josua an Jericho und an Ai getan hatte,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		At hi qui habitabant in Gabaon, audientes cuncta quæ fecerat Josue Jericho, et Hai,