Joshua 9:21 “They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water…”

Joshua 9:21

They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

World English Bible

The princes said to them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.

American Standard Version

And the princes said unto them, Let them live: so they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had spoken unto them.

Geneva Bible 1599

And the Princes sayd vnto them againe, Let them liue, but they shall hewe wood, and drawe water vnto all the Congregation, as the Princes appoint them.

Darby Translation

And the princes said to them, Let them live. And they were hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly; as the princes had said to them.

Young's Literal Translation

And the princes say unto them, 'They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company, as the princes spake to them.'

Bible in Basic English

Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.

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Cross references

“let them”

Deuteronomy 29:11 Joshua 9:23 Joshua 9:27 2 Chronicles 2:17 2 Chronicles 2:18

Deuteronomy 29:11 · BSB

your children and wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water—

Joshua 9:23 · BSB

Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

Joshua 9:27 · BSB

On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

2 Chronicles 2:17 · BSB

Solomon numbered all the foreign men in the land of Israel following the census his father David had conducted, and there were found to be 153,600 in all.

2 Chronicles 2:18 · BSB

Solomon made 70,000 of them porters, 80,000 stonecutters in the mountains, and 3,600 supervisors.

Also

Joshua 9:15

Joshua 9:15 · BSB

And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

20This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

Read Joshua 9