1 在约旦河西， 住在山上、高原和对着黎巴嫩山大海沿岸所有的王， 就是赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的王， 听见了这些事的时候， 2 就聚集起来， 同心协力地要与约书亚和以色列人交战。 3 基遍的居民听见了约书亚向耶利哥和艾城所行的事， 4 就施诡计， 假冒使者而来， 把旧的布袋和破裂又修补过的旧皮酒袋驮在驴上， 5 脚上穿着补过的旧鞋， 身穿旧衣服， 所带的食物又干又碎。 6 他们去到吉甲营中约书亚那里， 对约书亚和以色列人说： "我们是从远地来的， 现在求你们和我们立约。" 7 以色列人对这些希未人说： "你们也许是这地的居民， 若是这样， 我们怎样和你们立约呢？" 8 他们对约书亚说： "我们是你的仆人。"约书亚问他们： "你们是什么人？是从哪里来的？" 9 他们回答约书亚： "你的仆人为了耶和华你 神的名从很远的地方而来， 因为我们听见了他的名声和他在埃及所行的一切事， 10 以及他对约旦河东亚摩利人的两个王， 就是希实本王西宏和在亚斯他录的巴珊王噩， 所行的一切事。 11 所以我们的长老和我们本国所有的居民对我们说： ‘你们手里要带着旅途用的干粮， 去迎见以色列人， 对他们说： 我们是你们的仆人， 现在求你们和我们立约。’ 12 我们出门到你们这里来的时候， 从家里带出来作干粮的这饼还是热的； 看哪， 现在都又干又碎了。 13 这些皮酒袋， 我们盛酒的时候， 还是新的； 你看， 现在都破裂了。我们这些衣服和鞋因路途遥远， 都穿旧了。" 14 以色列人取了他们一些食物， 却没有求问耶和华的旨意。 15 于是约书亚与他们议和， 和他们立约， 容他们存活； 会众的首领也向他们起了誓。 16 以色列人和他们立约之后， 过了三天， 才听见他们是自己的近邻， 是住在这地的居民。 17 于是， 以色列人起程， 第三日就到了他们的城市； 他们的城市就是基遍、基非拉、比录、基列．耶琳。 18 以色列人没有击杀他们， 因为会众的首领曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓， 全体会众就都向首领发怨言。 19 众首领对全体会众说： "我们曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓， 现在我们不能伤害他们。 20 我们要这样待他们， 就是容他们存活， 免得 神的忿怒因我们向他们所起的誓， 临到我们身上。" 21 众首领又对会众说： "要让他们存活。"于是他们就给全体会众作了劈柴打水的人， 这是按照众首领对他们的吩咐。 22 约书亚把他们召了来， 质问他们： "你们为什么欺骗我们说： ‘我们离你们很远’， 其实你们却是住在这地的？ 23 现在你们要受到咒诅， 你们中间必不断有人作奴仆， 为我 神的圣所作劈柴打水的人。" 24 他们回答约书亚， 说： "因为你的仆人确实地听见， 耶和华你的 神曾经吩咐他的仆人摩西， 要把这整片土地赐给你们， 并且要在你们面前把这地上所有的居民都消灭， 因此， 我们因你们的缘故， 很怕丧命， 才行了这事。 25 现在， 你看， 我们都在你的手里， 你看怎样处置我们算为好、算为对， 就怎样行吧。" 26 约书亚就这样处置他们， 救了他们脱离以色列人的手， 以色列人就没有杀他们。 27 在那一天， 约书亚指派他们在耶和华选择的地方， 为会众和耶和华的祭坛作劈柴打水的人， 直到今日。

1 And it cometh to pass, when all the kings who [are] beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the great sea, over-against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear --2 that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel -- one mouth.3 And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai,4 and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,5 and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry -- it was crumbs.6 And they go unto Joshua, unto the camp at Gilgal, and say unto him, and unto the men of Israel, `From a land far off we have come, and now, make with us a covenant;`7 and the men of Israel say unto the Hivite, `It may be in our midst ye are dwelling, and how do we make with thee a covenant?`8 and they say unto Joshua, `Thy servants we [are].` And Joshua saith unto them, `Who [are] ye? and whence come ye?`9 And they say unto him, `From a land very far off have thy servants come, for the name of Jehovah thy God, for we have heard His fame, and all that He hath done in Egypt,10 and all that He hath done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who [is] in Ashtaroth.11 `And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us, saying, Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we [are], and now, make with us a covenant;12 this our bread -- hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry, and hath been crumbs;13 and these [are] the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and lo, they have rent; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.`14 And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;15 and Joshua maketh with them peace, and maketh with them a covenant, to keep them alive; and swear to them do the princes of the company.16 And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days after that they have made with them a covenant, that they hear that they [are] their neighbours -- that in their midst they are dwelling.17 And the sons of Israel journey and come in unto their cities on the third day -- and their cities [are] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim --18 and the sons of Israel have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel, and all the company murmur against the princes.19 And all the princes say unto all the company, `We -- we have sworn to them by Jehovah, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them;20 this we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.`21 And the princes say unto them, `They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company, as the princes spake to them.`22 And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, `Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling?23 and now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God.`24 And they answer Joshua and say, `Because it was certainly declared to thy servants, that Jehovah thy God commanded Moses His servant to give to you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;25 and now, lo, we [are] in thy hand, as [it is] good, and as [it is] right in thine eyes to do to us -- do.`26 And he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;27 and Joshua maketh them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the company, and for the altar of Jehovah, unto this day, at the place which He doth choose.