Question 1

What is the first thing the visitors say to Joshua, and how does Joshua respond?

Accepted Answer

The visitors open with a deferential claim: “We are your servants.” Joshua does not accept that as enough. He immediately asks two pointed questions—who they are and where they come from (v. 8). The exchange sets the tone: the visitors try to control the relationship through submission language, while Joshua insists on basic identification before moving forward. The text highlights a tension between self-presentation (“servants”) and verified identity (“Who are you?”).

Question 2

How do the visitors explain why they came, and what do they base it on?

Accepted Answer

They say they came from “a very far country” and that their reason is “because of the name of Yahweh your God” (v. 9). They ground this claim in what they have “heard”: Yahweh’s fame and specific reports about his actions in Egypt and against Sihon and Og beyond the Jordan (vv. 9–10). Their explanation is built from publicly known events, not private revelation. The passage reports their stated motive and their evidence from reputation, but it does not, in these verses, evaluate whether that motive is fully sincere.

Question 3

What events do the visitors list, and what is notable about how they describe them?

Accepted Answer

They list three main reference points: what Yahweh did “in Egypt” and what he did to “the two kings of the Amorites” east of the Jordan—Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan (vv. 9–10). The description is broad enough to be widely recognizable but specific enough (naming kings and places) to sound credible. The wording emphasizes “heard” reports and “fame,” which fits a story of outsiders responding to reputation. It is also notable that their list is selective; the text does not explain why these items, and not others, are mentioned.

Question 4

How do the visitors describe the authority behind their mission, and what exact request do they make?

Accepted Answer

They claim the mission is not a private initiative. They say “our elders and all the inhabitants of our country” told them to take provisions, go meet Israel, repeat the “servants” line, and then make a specific request: “now make you a covenant with us” (v. 11). This frames the approach as official and communal, giving the request more weight. The verse also shows the visitors’ speech is scripted: they were instructed what to say and what outcome to seek, centering on a binding agreement.

Question 5

What physical items do they present as evidence, and what logic do they want Joshua to draw from them?

Accepted Answer

They point to bread that was supposedly hot when packed but is now dry and moldy, wineskins that were “new” but are now torn, and clothing and sandals that have become old “because of the very long journey” (vv. 12–13). The intended logic is straightforward: the condition of the supplies matches the claim of great distance and long travel time. The text presents the items as part of their argument, but in these verses it does not explicitly confirm whether the wear is naturally caused by travel or arranged to look that way.

Question 6

How does repetition function in their speech, especially the repeated “servants” language?

Accepted Answer

The visitors repeatedly call themselves “your servants” (vv. 8, 9, 11). This repetition keeps the relationship framed as unequal: Joshua is the dominant party and they are the dependent party seeking favor. It also lowers the perceived threat level and supports their covenant request by implying they are ready to accept subordinate status if necessary. In context, the repeated line can be heard as humility, as treaty-style submission language common in diplomacy, or as part of a persuasive performance meant to move Joshua toward agreement.

Question 7

What parts of vv. 8–13 are direct statements of fact by the narrator, and what parts are claims made by the visitors?

Accepted Answer

The narrator presents the dialogue and the showing of items as events: the visitors speak, Joshua questions, and the items are displayed (vv. 8, 12–13). Many key details, however, are visitor-claims within speech: that they are “servants,” that they come from “a very far country,” that they came because of Yahweh’s name, that they only “heard” certain reports, that their whole community authorized them, and that the bread was taken hot and the skins were new (vv. 8–12). The passage invites careful attention to the difference between reported speech and verified narration.

Joshua 9:8-13

Scripture