The Meaning of Joshua 9:22 Explained

Joshua 9:22

KJV: And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

YLT: And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, 'Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling?

Darby: And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; whereas ye dwell in our midst?

ASV: And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Joshua  called  for them, and he spake  unto them, saying,  Wherefore have ye beguiled  us, saying,  We [are] very  far  from you; when ye dwell  among  us? 

What does Joshua 9:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Joshua 9:16-27 - "hewers Of Wood And Drawers Of Water"
The faith of these people was so far rewarded that, while their deception was punished by their reduction to the most menial tasks, yet their lives were spared; and, to a certain degree, they were incorporated with Israel and associated with the service of God's house. This position made them as unlikely as possible to seduce Israel from loyalty to Jehovah.
The Gibeonites were afterward known as Nethinim-that is, given. See 1 Chronicles 9:2; Ezra 2:43; Ezra 8:20. If in the earlier part of your life you have made some great mistake which threatens to limit your influence for good, do not sit down in despair, but get service out of it. Let it hew your wood and draw your water! [source]

Chapter Summary: Joshua 9

1  The kings combine against Israel
3  The Gibeonites by craft obtain a league
22  They are condemned to perpetual bondage

What do the individual words in Joshua 9:22 mean?

And called for them Joshua and he spoke to them saying why have you deceived us saying far we [are] from you very and when you near us dwell
וַיִּקְרָ֤א לָהֶם֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לָמָּה֩ רִמִּיתֶ֨ם אֹתָ֜נוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר רְחוֹקִ֨ים אֲנַ֤חְנוּ מִכֶּם֙ מְאֹ֔ד וְאַתֶּ֖ם בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ יֹשְׁבִֽים

וַיִּקְרָ֤א  And  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לָהֶם֙  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
יְהוֹשֻׁ֔עַ  Joshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹושֻׁעַ  
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר  and  he  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָמָּה֩  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
רִמִּיתֶ֨ם  have  you  deceived 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָמָה 
Sense: to cast, shoot, hurl.
אֹתָ֜נוּ  us 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רְחוֹקִ֨ים  far 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
אֲנַ֤חְנוּ  we  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common plural
Root: אֲנַחְנוּ  
Sense: we (first pers.
מִכֶּם֙  from  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
מְאֹ֔ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וְאַתֶּ֖ם  and  when  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
בְּקִרְבֵּ֥נוּ  near  us 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
יֹשְׁבִֽים  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.