And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
Parallel translations
- WEB and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
- BSB They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.
- NKJV old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
- NASB and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled.
- NLT They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy.
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
They wear patched shoes and old garments and carry dry, moldy bread to fake a long journey. Every detail is staged to support the lie.
Overview
The carefully aged provisions complete the deception meant to convince Israel they came from a distant country. The thoroughness of the ruse shows how persuasive falsehood can appear. The scene sets up Israel's failure to test the claim by inquiring of the Lord, a caution against trusting outward evidence over divine counsel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Luke 15:22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
- Josh 9:13And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
- Deut 33:25Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
- Deut 29:5And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
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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 9:5 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
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