they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Parallel translations
- KJV That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
- BSB they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
- NKJV that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord.
- NASB that they met together with one purpose, to fight with Joshua and with Israel.
- NLT These kings combined their armies to fight as one against Joshua and the Israelites.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Canaanite kings unite with one accord to fight Joshua and Israel. The nations band together in common opposition.
Overview
Faced with Israel's advance, the kings choose alliance and war rather than submission to the God of Israel. Their united resistance stands in contrast to the Gibeonites, who seek peace by deception. The scene illustrates the world's instinct to oppose God's purposes, even as God remains sovereign over the outcome.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 8:12“Don’t say, ‘A conspiracy!’ concerning all about which this people say, ‘A conspiracy!’ neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized.
- Acts 4:26–28The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’
- Isa 8:9–10Make an uproar, you peoples, and be broken in pieces! Listen, all you from far countries: dress for battle, and be shattered! Dress for battle, and be shattered!
- Ps 2:1–2Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing?
- Prov 11:21Most certainly, the evil man will not be unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will be delivered.
- Joel 3:9–13Proclaim this among the nations: “Prepare for war! Stir up the mighty men. Let all the warriors draw near. Let them come up.
- Rev 20:8–9and he will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to the war; the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
- Isa 54:15Behold, they may gather together, but not by me. Whoever gathers together against you will fall because of you.
- Rev 16:14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty.
- 2 Chr 20:1–30After this, the children of Moab, the children of Ammon, and with them some of the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
- Ps 83:2–8For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Joshua — the same name as Jesus, 'the LORD saves' — leads God's people into their inheritance, a shadow of the greater Joshua who brings us into the true rest and the promised land that remains.
How Joshua 9:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.