Joshua 9:23
Joshua 9:23 in Multiple Translations
Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall never fail to be of you bondmen, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.
Consequently you are under a curse. From now on you shall forever be servants, woodcutters and water-carriers for the house of my God.”
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.
and now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God.'
Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bond-men, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Therefore you shall be under a curse, and your race shall always be hewers of wood, and carriers of water unto the house of my God.
So now you will become our slaves. You will always be forced to cut wood and carry water for us Israeli people who worship in the temple of our God.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Joshua 9:23
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 9:23 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/עַתָּ֖ה
אֲרוּרִ֣ים
אַתֶּ֑ם
וְ/לֹֽא
יִכָּרֵ֨ת
מִ/כֶּ֜ם
עֶ֗בֶד
וְ/חֹטְבֵ֥י
עֵצִ֛ים
וְ/שֹֽׁאֲבֵי
מַ֖יִם
לְ/בֵ֥ית
אֱלֹהָֽ/י
וְ/עַתָּ֖ה
ʻattâh
H6258
now
Conj | Adv
אֲרוּרִ֣ים
ʼârar
H779
to curse
V-Qal-Inf-c
אַתֶּ֑ם
ʼattâh
H859
you(m.s.)
Pron
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
יִכָּרֵ֨ת
kârath
H3772
to cut
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
מִ/כֶּ֜ם
min
H4480
from
Prep | Suff
עֶ֗בֶד
ʻebed
H5650
servant/slave
N-ms
וְ/חֹטְבֵ֥י
châṭab
H2404
to chop
Conj | V-Qal
עֵצִ֛ים
ʻêts
H6086
tree
N-mp
וְ/שֹֽׁאֲבֵי
shâʼab
H7579
to draw
Conj | V-Qal
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
Water (Gate)
N-mp
לְ/בֵ֥ית
bayith
H1004
place
Prep | N-ms
אֱלֹהָֽ/י
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
God
N-mp | Suff
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 9:23
וְ/עַתָּ֖ה
ʻattâh
H6258
"now"
Conj | Adv
This word means now or at this time, like in Exodus when God says now is the time to act. It can also be used to connect ideas or show a change in time, as seen in the book of Isaiah.
Definition: 1) now 1a) now 1b) in phrases
Usage: Occurs in 422 OT verses. KJV: henceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas. See also: Genesis 3:22; Joshua 24:23; 2 Samuel 24:13.
אֲרוּרִ֣ים
ʼârar
H779
"to curse"
V-Qal-Inf-c
To curse someone or something, like God cursing the serpent in Genesis 3. It means to execrate or wish harm upon someone, often used in the context of punishment or judgment. This word appears in various biblical accounts.
Definition: 1) to curse 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to curse 1a2) cursed be he (participle used as in curses) 1b) (Niphal) to be cursed, cursed 1c)(Piel) to curse, lay under a curse, put a curse on 1d) (Hophal) to be made a curse, be cursed
Usage: Occurs in 52 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] bitterly curse. See also: Genesis 3:14; Deuteronomy 27:23; Psalms 119:21.
אַתֶּ֑ם
ʼattâh
H859
"you(m.s.)"
Pron
You is the translation of a Hebrew word used to address someone directly, like when God says you to someone in the Bible. It can be singular or plural, and is often translated as thee, thou, or ye.
Definition: you (second pers. sing. masc.)
Usage: Occurs in 997 OT verses. KJV: thee, thou, ye, you. See also: Genesis 3:11; Exodus 23:9; Deuteronomy 14:1.
וְ/לֹֽא
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
יִכָּרֵ֨ת
kârath
H3772
"to cut"
V-Niphal-Imperf-3ms
This Hebrew word means to cut or destroy something, but it also has a special meaning related to making a covenant or agreement. In Genesis 15:18, God makes a covenant with Abram, symbolized by cutting animals in half, showing the seriousness of the promise. This word is used to describe important agreements and alliances.
Definition: : cut/fell 1) to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to cut off 1a1a) to cut off a body part, behead 1a2) to cut down 1a3) to hew 1a4) to cut or make a covenant 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be cut off 1b2) to be cut down 1b3) to be chewed 1b4) to be cut off, fail 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be cut off 1c2) to be cut down 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cut off 1d2) to cut off, destroy 1d3) to cut down, destroy 1d4) to take away 1d5) to permit to perish 1e) (Hophal) cut off
Usage: Occurs in 280 OT verses. KJV: be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want. See also: Genesis 9:11; 1 Samuel 24:6; Psalms 12:4.
מִ/כֶּ֜ם
min
H4480
"from"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
עֶ֗בֶד
ʻebed
H5650
"servant/slave"
N-ms
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Definition: 1) slave, servant 1a) slave, servant, man-servant 1b) subjects 1c) servants, worshippers (of God) 1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc) 1e) servant (of Israel) 1f) servant (as form of address between equals) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)
Usage: Occurs in 714 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. See also: Genesis 9:25; Exodus 11:3; 1 Samuel 8:16.
וְ/חֹטְבֵ֥י
châṭab
H2404
"to chop"
Conj | V-Qal
This Hebrew word means to chop or carve wood, like a carpenter shaping a tree. It appears in the Bible as cutting down trees or polishing wood. In the book of Isaiah, it describes preparing wood for a fire.
Definition: 1) to cut, gather 1a) (Qal) to cut, gather (wood) 1b) (Pual) to cut, carve
Usage: Occurs in 9 OT verses. KJV: cut down, hew(-er), polish. See also: Deuteronomy 19:5; Joshua 9:27; Psalms 144:12.
עֵצִ֛ים
ʻêts
H6086
"tree"
N-mp
This Hebrew word for tree or wood refers to a strong and firm object, like a tree or a wooden plank, as seen in the carpentry work of Jesus' earthly father Joseph in Matthew 13:55.
Definition: : wood 1) tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows 1a) tree, trees 1b) wood, pieces of wood, gallows, firewood, cedar-wood, woody flax
Usage: Occurs in 289 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] carpenter, gallows, helve, [phrase] pine, plank, staff, stalk, stick, stock, timber, tree, wood. See also: Genesis 1:11; Joshua 9:23; Psalms 1:3.
וְ/שֹֽׁאֲבֵי
shâʼab
H7579
"to draw"
Conj | V-Qal
To draw water from a well is what this Hebrew word means, and it is often used to describe the daily task of women in the Bible. In the book of Genesis, it describes the women of the town gathering at the well to draw water and socialize.
Definition: 1) to draw (water) 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to draw (water) 1a2) water-drawing women (participle)
Usage: Occurs in 18 OT verses. KJV: (woman to) draw(-er, water). See also: Genesis 24:11; Joshua 9:23; Isaiah 12:3.
מַ֖יִם
mayim
H4325
"Water (Gate)"
N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
לְ/בֵ֥ית
bayith
H1004
"place"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Definition: nm place, origin, between
Usage: Occurs in 1712 OT verses. KJV: court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). See also: Genesis 6:14; Exodus 8:5; Numbers 1:45.
אֱלֹהָֽ/י
ʼĕlôhîym
H430
"God"
N-mp | Suff
The Hebrew word for God, elohim, refers to the one supreme God, and is sometimes used to show respect to judges or magistrates. It is also used to describe angels or mighty beings. This word is closely related to the name of the Lord, Yahweh, and is often translated as God or gods in the Bible.
Definition: This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)
Usage: Occurs in 2246 OT verses. KJV: angels, [idiom] exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), [idiom] (very) great, judges, [idiom] mighty. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 22:12; Exodus 3:11.
Study Notes — Joshua 9:23
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Joshua 9:23 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Joshua 9:23
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 9:23
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
- Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
- Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
- Cambridge Bible on Joshua 9:23
- Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
- Sermons on Joshua 9:23
Context — The Deceit of the Gibeonites
21They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.
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?
23Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. 25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 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. |
| 2 | Genesis 9:25–26 | he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” He also declared: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem. |
| 3 | Joshua 9:27 | 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. |
| 4 | Leviticus 27:28–29 | Nothing that a man sets apart to the LORD from all he owns—whether a man, an animal, or his inherited land—can be sold or redeemed; everything so devoted is most holy to the LORD. No person set apart for destruction may be ransomed; he must surely be put to death. |
Joshua 9:23 Summary
[Joshua 9:23 tells us that the Gibeonites were punished for deceiving the Israelites by being forced to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of God. This shows that God takes deception seriously and will punish it, as seen in Proverbs 12:22. However, it also shows that God can use even punishment as a way to bring people into service and relationship with Him, similar to the way that Jesus taught His disciples to serve others in Mark 10:45. By looking at this verse, we can learn the importance of honesty and integrity in our relationships with others and with God.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Joshua curse the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:23?
Joshua cursed the Gibeonites because they had deceived the Israelites, pretending to be from a faraway land when in fact they lived nearby, as seen in Joshua 9:22. This deception is similar to the warnings against false prophets in Deuteronomy 13:1-5, where God commands the Israelites to not tolerate deception in their midst.
What kind of service were the Gibeonites required to perform as a result of the curse?
The Gibeonites were required to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of God, as stated in Joshua 9:23, a role that would humiliate them and remind them of their deception, similar to the service required of the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:21.
Is the curse in Joshua 9:23 still in effect today?
The curse in Joshua 9:23 was a specific judgment against the Gibeonites for their deception, and its effects are not explicitly stated to continue beyond the biblical period. However, the principle of God's justice and the consequences of deception are still relevant today, as seen in Proverbs 12:22 and Revelation 21:8.
How does this verse relate to the concept of God's mercy and justice?
This verse shows that God is a God of both mercy and justice, as He had commanded the Israelites to show kindness to strangers in Leviticus 19:34, but also to punish deception, as seen in Joshua 9:23, demonstrating a balance between mercy and justice, similar to the balance seen in Exodus 34:6-7.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I may be deceiving others or God, and how can I make amends?
- How can I balance showing mercy and kindness to others with the need to uphold truth and justice, as seen in Joshua 9:23?
- In what ways can I serve others and God, even in humble roles, as the Gibeonites were required to do?
- What can I learn from the Gibeonites' experience about the importance of honesty and integrity in my relationships with others and with God?
Gill's Exposition on Joshua 9:23
Now therefore ye [are] cursed,.... Appear to be the posterity of cursed Canaan, and, notwithstanding the artifice used, should not be exempted from the curse denounced on Canaan: "a servant of
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Joshua 9:23
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. Now therefore ye are cursed.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
Ye are cursed; you shall not escape the curse of God, which by Divine sentence belongs to all the Canaanites, who are a people devoted by God to ruin, but only change the quality of it; you shall feel that curse of bondage and servitude, which is proper to your race by virtue of that ancient decree, ; you shall live indeed, but in a poor, vile, and miserable condition. There shall none of you be freed from being bond-men; the slavery which is upon you shall be entailed to your posterity. Hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God: this only service they mention here, because it was their principal and most durable servitude, being first in the tabernacle, and then in the temple, whence they were called Nethinims, ; whereas their servitude to the whole congregation would in a great measure cease when the Israelites were dispersed to their several habitations.
Trapp's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
Joshua 9:23 Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.Ver. 23. Now therefore ye are cursed,] viz., With Cannaan’ s curse, "A servant of servants," &c., which yet afterwards God turned to a blessing. See on Ezra 2:43 Genesis 9:25, and observe that it was literally fulfilled in these Canaanites.
Ellicott's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
(23) Bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.—The precedent established in regard to the Gibeonites appears to have been followed by Solomon in his dealings with all the remnant of the doomed nations of Canaan who were not destroyed. (See 1 Kings 9:20-21; 2 Chronicles 8:7-8.) It is thought that they are to be recognised in the Nethinim of Ezra and Nehemiah, who come after the Levites, singers, and porters in the enumeration of the restored captives (Ezra 2:43). Compare also the mention of Solomon’s servants (Ezra 2:58), whose children are coupled with the Nethinim. The existence of this large body of Canaanites should be remembered in considering the edict of the law of Moses, that the seven nations were to be destroyed. The sentence was clearly not executed on the mass of the non-resisting population.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
Verse 23. Now therefore ye are cursed] Does not this refer to what was pronounced by Noah, Genesis 9:26, against Ham and his posterity? Did not the curse of Ham imply slavery, and nothing else? Cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants shall he be; and does it not sufficiently appear that nothing else than perpetual slavery is implied in the curse of the Gibeonites? They were brought, no doubt, under tribute; performed the meanest offices for the Israelites, being in the same circumstances with the servile class of Hindoos called the Chetrees; had their national importance annihilated, and yet were never permitted to incorporate themselves with the Israelites. And we may reasonably suppose that this was the purpose of God relative to all the Canaanitish nations: those who would not renounce their idolatry, c., were to be extirpated those who did were to be preserved alive, on condition of becoming tributary, and serving as slaves. See Clarke on Deuteronomy 20:17. Hewers of wood and drawers of water] The disgrace of this state lay not in the laboriousness of it, but in its being the common employment of the females; if the ancient customs among the same people were such as prevail now. The most intelligent travellers in those countries represent collecting wood for fuel, and carrying water, as the peculiar employment of the females. The Arab women of Barbary do so, according to Dr.
Shaw. The daughters of the Turcomans in Palestine are employed, according to D'Arvieux, in fetching wood and water for the accommodation of their respective families. From these circumstances Mr. Harmer reasons thus: "The bitterness of the doom of the Gibeonites does not seem to have consisted in the laboriousness of the service enjoined them, for it was usual for women and children to perform what was required of them; but its degrading them from the characteristic employment of men, that of bearing arms; and condemning them and their posterity for ever to the employment of females. The not receiving them as allies was bitter; the disarming them who had been warriors, and condemning them to the employment of females, was worse; but the extending this degradation to their posterity, was bitterest of all. It is no wonder that in these circumstances they are said to have been cursed." - Obs., vol. iv., p. 297.
Cambridge Bible on Joshua 9:23
23. ye are cursed] Comp. Genesis 9:25.
Whedon's Commentary on Joshua 9:23
23. Ye are cursed — Bondage, even to the best of masters and to the most honourable kind of labour, is a curse.
Sermons on Joshua 9:23
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Joshua - Gibeon: Spiritual Warfare by Stephen Kaung | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of the children of Israel being deceived by the Gibeonites. The enemy sometimes tries to hinder our relationship with Christ by bui |
|
(Revelation) Part 1 the Scarlet Womans Future Judgement by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on Revelation Chapter 17 and the woman mentioned in the text. The woman is described as sitting upon many waters, representing peoples, nations |
|
Come Over Into Macedonia by Charles Alexander | In this sermon, the speaker begins by mentioning that he is under orders to confine his remarks to ten minutes. He expresses his gratitude for being in Canada for the first time an |
|
Answers for Modern Science Questions by Ken Ham | This sermon emphasizes the biblical perspective on race, explaining that all humans belong to one biological race but can be divided into two spiritual races based on their relatio |
|
The Abrahamic Covenant by A.W. Pink | A.W. Pink explores the significance of the Abrahamic Covenant, emphasizing Abraham's unique role as 'the friend of God' and the father of all believers. He highlights how the coven |
|
Studies in Joshua 03 - Conquering the Land by Alden Gannett | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the preparation and conquest of Joshua as he leads the Israelites into the land of Canaan. The sermon begins by discussing Joshua's encounte |