Joshua 9:24 Meaning and Explanation
“And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The Gibeonites explain they acted out of fear for their lives.
What Does Joshua 9:24 Mean?
The Gibeonites offer their defense. They had heard that the LORD commanded Moses to give Israel the land and remove its inhabitants, and so, sore afraid of their lives, they resorted to deception. They lay bare the fear that drove their scheme.
Their words carry a kind of backhanded faith: they believed the reports of what God had said and done, and that belief shaped their desperate choice. Fear can move people toward God or away from honesty, and here it produced both. The verse invites compassion for the dread behind the deceit, even as it does not excuse the lie itself.
Joshua 9:24 in the Original Language
yare (יָרֵא), 'to fear' -- here a dread for one's life that drove desperate action.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joshua 9:24
What does Joshua 9:24 mean?
The Gibeonites explain they acted out of fear for their lives.