That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Parallel translations
- WEB 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 8:12Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.
- Acts 4:26–28The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
- Isa 8:9–10Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces.
- Ps 2:1–2Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
- Prov 11:21Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
- Joel 3:9–13Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
- Rev 20:8–9And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
- Isa 54:15Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
- Rev 16:14For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
- 2 Chr 20:1–30It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.
- Ps 83:2–8For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
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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.