Joshua 9:4
Joshua 9:4 in Multiple Translations
acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
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;
they also did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-skins, old and rent and bound up,
Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;
they decided on a cunning plan. They sent messengers to Joshua, their donkeys wearing worn-out saddles and carrying old wineskins that were torn and patched.
And therefore they wrought craftily: for they went, and fayned themselues ambassadours, and tooke olde sackes vpon their asses, and olde bottels for wine, both rent and bound vp,
and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,
they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wineskins,
They did work craftily, and went and made as if they had been embassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again,
they decided to trick the Israelis. They gathered some old sacks and some old leather wine bags that had been mended after they were cracked, and they put these on the backs of their donkeys.
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 9:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Joshua 9:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יַּעֲשׂ֤וּ
גַם
הֵ֨מָּה֙
בְּ/עָרְמָ֔ה
וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ
וַ/יִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ
וַ/יִּקְח֞וּ
שַׂקִּ֤ים
בָּלִים֙
לַ/חֲמ֣וֹרֵי/הֶ֔ם
וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת
יַ֨יִן֙
בָּלִ֔ים
וּ/מְבֻקָּעִ֖ים
וּ/מְצֹרָרִֽים
וַ/יַּעֲשׂ֤וּ
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
גַם
gam
H1571
also
Adv
הֵ֨מָּה֙
hêm
H1992
they(masc.)
Pron
בְּ/עָרְמָ֔ה
ʻormâh
H6195
craftiness
Prep | N-fs
וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ
yâlak
H3212
to walk
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
וַ/יִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ
tsâyar
H6737
to take provision
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3mp
וַ/יִּקְח֞וּ
lâqach
H3947
to take
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
שַׂקִּ֤ים
saq
H8242
sackcloth
N-mp
בָּלִים֙
bâleh
H1087
old
Adj
לַ/חֲמ֣וֹרֵי/הֶ֔ם
chămôwr
H2543
donkey
Prep | N-cp | Suff
וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת
nôʼd
H4997
wineskin
Conj | N-mp
יַ֨יִן֙
yayin
H3196
wine
N-ms
בָּלִ֔ים
bâleh
H1087
old
Adj
וּ/מְבֻקָּעִ֖ים
bâqaʻ
H1234
to break up/open
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c
וּ/מְצֹרָרִֽים
tsârar
H6887
to confine
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
Use ← → arrow keys to navigate between words.
Hebrew Word Reference — Joshua 9:4
וַ/יַּעֲשׂ֤וּ
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
גַם
gam
H1571
"also"
Adv
Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.
Definition: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike
Usage: Occurs in 661 OT verses. KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 19:9; 1 Samuel 14:21.
הֵ֨מָּה֙
hêm
H1992
"they(masc.)"
Pron
This Hebrew word is used to refer to a group of men, emphasizing that it is specifically them. It is often translated as 'they' or 'them' in the Bible, and appears in books like Exodus and Isaiah.
Definition: they, these, the same, who
Usage: Occurs in 524 OT verses. KJV: it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye. See also: Genesis 3:7; Deuteronomy 19:17; 2 Kings 1:18.
בְּ/עָרְמָ֔ה
ʻormâh
H6195
"craftiness"
Prep | N-fs
This word means craftiness or trickery, but can also imply good sense or discretion. It is used in the Bible to describe both positive and negative actions.
Definition: shrewdness, craftiness, prudence
Usage: Occurs in 5 OT verses. KJV: guile, prudence, subtilty, wilily, wisdom. See also: Exodus 21:14; Proverbs 1:4; Proverbs 8:5.
וַ/יֵּלְכ֖וּ
yâlak
H3212
"to walk"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
To walk or go, this verb means to move from one place to another, used literally or figuratively, as in to live or die, or to lead someone.
Definition: 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Hiphil) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk
Usage: Occurs in 936 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak. See also: Genesis 3:14; Exodus 5:8; Deuteronomy 28:14.
וַ/יִּצְטַיָּ֑רוּ
tsâyar
H6737
"to take provision"
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3mp
To take provision means to supply oneself with food or necessities, like the Israelites did in Exodus 12:39. It can also mean to act as an envoy or messenger, like the ones sent by King David in 2 Samuel 10:4.
Definition: 1) (BDB) (Hithpael) to supply oneself with provisions, take as one's provision 2) (CLBL) to act as envoy
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: make as if...had been ambassador. See also: Joshua 9:4.
וַ/יִּקְח֞וּ
lâqach
H3947
"to take"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Definition: : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed 1b3) to be taken, brought unto 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be taken from or out of 1c2) to be stolen from 1c3) to be taken captive 1c4) to be taken away, be removed 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto 1d2) to be taken out of 1d3) to be taken away 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to take hold of oneself 1e2) to flash about (of lightning)
Usage: Occurs in 909 OT verses. KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. See also: Genesis 2:15; Genesis 34:17; Exodus 30:23.
שַׂקִּ֤ים
saq
H8242
"sackcloth"
N-mp
This term refers to a coarse cloth or sack used for mourning or carrying grain. People wore sackcloth to show humility or grief, like in the book of Esther. It symbolized repentance and sorrow.
Definition: 1) mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking 1a) sack (for grain) 1b) sackcloth 1b1) worn in mourning or humiliation 1b2) same material spread out to lie on
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: sack(-cloth, -clothes). See also: Genesis 37:34; Psalms 69:12; Psalms 30:12.
בָּלִים֙
bâleh
H1087
"old"
Adj
Worn out or old, describing something that's no longer new or useful, like the old testament's description of worn out things. It's a state of being tired or exhausted, as seen in the book of Psalms.
Definition: worn out, old
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: old. See also: Joshua 9:4; Joshua 9:5; Ezekiel 23:43.
לַ/חֲמ֣וֹרֵי/הֶ֔ם
chămôwr
H2543
"donkey"
Prep | N-cp | Suff
The Hebrew word for a male donkey, it is translated as he ass in the KJV Bible. The name comes from the animal's reddish-brown color.
Definition: (he) ass
Usage: Occurs in 93 OT verses. KJV: (he) ass. See also: Genesis 12:16; Judges 6:4; Proverbs 26:3.
וְ/נֹאד֥וֹת
nôʼd
H4997
"wineskin"
Conj | N-mp
A 'nô''d' is a container made of skin or leather, used to hold liquids like wine or water. In the Bible, it is often translated as 'bottle' or 'wineskin', and is used to describe a common household item in ancient times.
Definition: skin, bottle, skin-bottle
Usage: Occurs in 6 OT verses. KJV: bottle. See also: Joshua 9:4; 1 Samuel 16:20; Psalms 56:9.
יַ֨יִן֙
yayin
H3196
"wine"
N-ms
The Hebrew word for wine, 'yayin', refers to fermented wine and its effects, including intoxication. It is often mentioned in the Bible in the context of banquets and feasts, such as in the book of Esther.
Definition: wine
Usage: Occurs in 134 OT verses. KJV: banqueting, wine, wine(-bibber). See also: Genesis 9:21; Proverbs 20:1; Psalms 60:5.
בָּלִ֔ים
bâleh
H1087
"old"
Adj
Worn out or old, describing something that's no longer new or useful, like the old testament's description of worn out things. It's a state of being tired or exhausted, as seen in the book of Psalms.
Definition: worn out, old
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: old. See also: Joshua 9:4; Joshua 9:5; Ezekiel 23:43.
וּ/מְבֻקָּעִ֖ים
bâqaʻ
H1234
"to break up/open"
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c
This Hebrew word means to break or open something, like a door or a wall, and is used in the Bible to describe God breaking through to help his people, as seen in Psalm 107:16.
Definition: 1) to split, cleave, break open, divide, break through, rip up, break up, tear 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cleave, cleave open 1a2) to break through, break into 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cleft, be rent open, be split open 1b2) to be broken into 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to cleave, cut to pieces, rend open 1c2) to break through, break down 1d) (Pual) 1d1) to be ripped open, be torn open 1d2) to be rent 1d3) to be broken into 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to break into 1e2) to break through 1f) (Hophal) to be broken into 1g) (Hithpael) to burst (themselves) open, cleave asunder
Usage: Occurs in 50 OT verses. KJV: make a breach, break forth (into, out, in pieces, through, up), be ready to burst, cleave (asunder), cut out, divide, hatch, rend (asunder), rip up, tear, win. See also: Genesis 7:11; Psalms 78:13; Psalms 74:15.
וּ/מְצֹרָרִֽים
tsârar
H6887
"to confine"
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c
To rival means to oppose or afflict someone. In the Bible, this word is used to describe the struggles of the Israelites, such as when they were oppressed by their enemies or faced internal conflicts and afflictions.
Definition: to confine, besiege Another spelling of tsur (צוּר "to confine" H6696A)
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: adversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex. See also: Exodus 12:34; Psalms 8:3; Psalms 6:8.
Study Notes — Joshua 9:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Joshua 9:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Joshua 9:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 9:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
- Cambridge Bible on Joshua 9:4
- Barnes' Notes on Joshua 9:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
- Sermons on Joshua 9:4
Context — The Deceit of the Gibeonites
2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
4acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
5They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. 6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke 16:8 | The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light. |
| 2 | Matthew 10:16 | Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. |
| 3 | Mark 2:22 | And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins.” |
| 4 | Luke 5:37–38 | And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins. |
| 5 | 1 Kings 20:31–33 | Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot. |
| 6 | Matthew 9:17 | Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” |
| 7 | Psalms 119:83 | Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke, I do not forget Your statutes. |
| 8 | Genesis 34:13 | But because Shechem had defiled their sister Dinah, Jacob’s sons answered him and his father Hamor deceitfully. |
Joshua 9:4 Summary
The people of Gibeon acted deceptively in Joshua 9:4 because they were afraid of the Israelites and wanted to make a treaty with them. They carried worn-out sacks and old wineskins to make it look like they had come from a distant land, similar to the example of the spies in Joshua 2:1-24. This shows us that fear and desperation can lead people to act in ways that are not honest or trustworthy, but God is not deceived and we should strive to be honest and transparent in our relationships with others, as seen in Proverbs 10:9 and 11:3. By trusting in God's provision and protection, we can overcome our fears and act with integrity, as encouraged in Psalm 37:3-7 and 1 Peter 5:7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What motivated the people of Gibeon to act deceptively in Joshua 9:4?
The people of Gibeon were motivated by fear of the Israelites, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, as seen in Joshua 9:3, and they wanted to make a treaty with them to spare their lives, similar to the example of the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:6-27.
Why did the Gibeonites carry worn-out sacks and old wineskins in Joshua 9:4?
The Gibeonites carried worn-out sacks and old wineskins to deceive the Israelites into thinking they had come from a distant land, as stated in Joshua 9:6, and to make their story more believable, much like the tactics used by Jacob in Genesis 27:15-16 and Laban in Genesis 30:35-36.
Is deception ever justified in the Bible?
While the Gibeonites' deception in Joshua 9:4 may have been successful in the short term, the Bible generally condemns deception, as seen in Proverbs 12:22 and Colossians 3:9-10, and encourages honesty and integrity, as exemplified by Abraham in Genesis 20:1-18 and David in 1 Samuel 26:1-25.
What can we learn from the Gibeonites' actions in Joshua 9:4?
We can learn that fear and desperation can lead people to act deceptively, but God is not deceived, as stated in Jeremiah 17:10 and Hebrews 4:13, and we should strive to be honest and trustworthy in our interactions with others, following the example of Jesus in John 8:31-32 and 14:6.
Reflection Questions
- How do I respond when I feel threatened or afraid, and what can I learn from the Gibeonites' actions in this situation?
- What are some ways I can be honest and transparent in my relationships with others, and how can I apply the principles of Proverbs 10:9 and 11:3 to my life?
- How can I trust God to provide for me and protect me, even when I feel like I need to take matters into my own hands, as seen in Psalm 23:1-4 and Matthew 6:25-34?
- What are some areas in my life where I may be tempted to deceive or manipulate others, and how can I seek God's help to overcome these temptations, as encouraged in 1 John 1:8-10 and James 1:5-8?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 9:4
And they did work wilily,.... Acted craftily, dealt in much cunning and subtlety; our version leaves out a very emphatic word, "also"; they also, as well as other nations, acted a cunning part, but
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 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; They did work wilily - They acted with
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
Ambassadors, sent from a far country, as they say, .
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
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;Ver. 4. They did work wilily.] They exercised a serpentine subtilty, and dealt fraudulently, as Genesis 3:1; but where was their columbine simplicity? They strain hard to save their lives. But a man should rather die than lie.
Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
(4) They did work wilily.—Literally, and they also dealt with subtilty. The stratagem does not seem a very profound one, or one that would have been difficult to detect. But we may remember a fact of Israel’s experience which puts it in a somewhat different light. The Israelites themselves had come from a far country, but their raiment had not “waxed old upon them,” nor did “their feet swell,” these forty years. Of bread they had no need, when there was manna, and God gave them water for their thirst. Of worn garments and stale provisions they had no experience, and therefore, when the Gibeonites presented themselves in this extraordinary garb and guise, it is not unnatural that they were not detected by the eyes of Israel. They . . . made as if they had been ambassadors.—The verb thus translated does not occur elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. By the alteration of a letter, the Targum, LXX., and some other versions make it mean, “they gat them provision.”
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
Verse 4. They did work wilily] Finesse of this kind is allowed by the conduct of all nations; and stratagems in war are all considered as legal. Nine tenths of the victories gained are attributable to stratagem; all sides practise them, and therefore none can condemn them. Much time and labour have been lost in the inquiry, "Did not the Gibeonites tell lies?" Certainly they did, and what is that to us? Does the word of God commend them for it? It does not. Are they held up to us as examples! Surely no. They did what any other nation would have done in their circumstances, and we have nothing to do with their example. Had they come to the Israelites, and simply submitted themselves without opposition and without fraud, they had certainly fared much better.
Lying and hypocrisy always defeat their own purpose, and at best can succeed only for a short season. Truth and honesty never wear out. Old sacks-and wine bottles, old, &c.] They pretended to have come from a very distant country, and that their sacks and the goat-skins that served them for carrying their wine and water in, were worn out by the length of the journey.
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 9:4
4. they did work wilily] Rather, they also did work wilily. They had heard what Joshua had done in the case of Jericho and Ai, and the stratagems he had employed, and now they also resolved to do something and to meet craft with craft. “Thei thouçten felli,” Wyclif.made as if they had been] Or, as the Ancient Versions with the change of a single consonant, reading here as in Joshua 9:12, render, provided themselves with victuals.old sacks upon their asses] These were probably the same as “the large bags, usually of hair, in which the Orientals pack up, for convenient transport on the backs of animals, all the baggage and commodities required for the journey. Beds, boxes, provisions, pots, packages of goods, all are carried in such bags, slung over the back of the animal, one hanging at each side. Being a good deal knocked about and exposed to the weather, these saddle-bags, as one might call them but for their size, suffer in a long journey; and hence the Gibeonites took old bags, to convey the impression that a long journey had been made. Kitto’s Bible Illustrations, 11. p. 286. wine bottles] i.e. skin bottles, of which classical antiquity has afforded many representations. In the East the wine was preserved not in casks but in earthen jars and leathern bottles, made of the skins of goats, oxen, and buffaloes, turned inside out, washed, and rubbed over with warm mineral tar or naphtha. The wine is drawn out at one of the feet, by opening or closing the cord with which it is tied. This explains how the bottles could be “old,” “rent,” and “bound up,” and also the caution of our Lord against pouring new wine into old bottles, lest they should be burst by the wine (Mark 2:22).
Barnes' Notes on Joshua 9:4
They did work wilily - literally, “they also,” or “they too, did work, etc.” The “also” serves, apparently, to connect the stratagem of the Gibeonites with that employed by the Israelites before Ai.
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 9:4
4. [They did work wilily — Literally, Then did also they by stratagem. The also seems to refer here most naturally to what Joshua had done to Ai.
Sermons on Joshua 9:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Goat by Harriet N. Cook | Harriet N. Cook delves into the significance of goats in the Bible, highlighting their various uses and symbolism in ancient times. From providing milk and cheese to being used for |
|
Beware of the Christian Religion - Unfaithful Servants (Part 2) by Phil Beach Jr. | Phil Beach Jr. emphasizes the necessity of recognizing our unfaithfulness as Christians and the importance of seeking God's grace to address our spiritual needs. He reflects on the |
|
Luke 16:1-8. the Parable of the Unjust Steward. by Favell Lee Mortimer | Favell Lee Mortimer delves into the parable of the dishonest steward, explaining that the Lord commended the steward not for his wickedness but for his worldly wisdom in securing h |
|
|
Luke 16:9-13. Christ Exhorts His Disciples to Be Faithful in the Use of Riches. by Favell Lee Mortimer | Favell Lee Mortimer preaches about the wise use of riches as demonstrated by the unjust steward, emphasizing the importance of using worldly wealth to make friends for eternal dwel |
|
Epistle 43 by George Fox | George Fox preaches to the brethren, encouraging them to stand together in God's power and not be discouraged by external enemies. He emphasizes the importance of holding onto free |
|
How to Get on Fire for God by Ray Comfort | In this sermon, the preacher discusses three keys to getting on fire for God. The first key is faith, which is described as believing in the promises of God and finding joy and pea |
|
(Biographies) Adoniram Judson by John Piper | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of guarding the deposit of the gospel with fences. He warns against the consequences of not protecting the truth of the gospel |