In verse 4 They … got some food (Revised Standard Version “made ready provisions”) translates a Hebrew verb found in some Hebrew manuscripts and the ancient versions (and also in verse 12 in the Masoretic text); the Masoretic text has a verb found only here in the Old Testament, and it seems to mean here “disguise oneself as messenger” (Soggin; see King James Version “made as if they had been ambassadors”); Bible de Jérusalem says the form is unintelligible. New English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible prefer Masoretic text; Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, New American Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Jerusalem Bible translate the textual variant. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project also prefers the Masoretic text but evaluates its choice a “C” rating, indicating “considerable doubt.”

The two occurrences of the pronoun they in this verse do not refer absolutely to the same people. In its first occurrence (they decided) the reference is to all the people of Gibeon; its second occurrence (They went), however, refers to only a part of the people of Gibeon (see verse 11). Therefore They went may be translated, “Some of them went.”

Verses 4-5 give in detail the elaborate trick they used: worn-out sacks (in which they placed their provisions) on their donkeys; they wore ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended, and supplied themselves with bread that was dry and moldy. All of this would give the impression that they had finished a long, arduous journey from some far-off place.

By placing items of food and clothing in two separate groups, it is possible to translate verses 4-5 as a unit. This can be done with either exegesis: (1) By accepting the textual variant with Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version (“made ready provisions”), and by equating food (verse 4) with bread (verse 5):

• They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. Then they loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins, and took along bread that was dry and moldy.

(2) By accepting the alternative textual possibility (“disguise oneself as a messenger”):

• Several of them dressed themselves as messengers from a distant land. They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. They loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched up wineskins, and they took along bread that was dry and moldy.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .