1 All the kings west of Jordan heard these things; the kings in the hills, and in the valleys, in all the coasts of the Great Mediterraean Sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard these things.2 They gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord unanimouslyone purpose.3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,4 They resorted to a ruse schemetrick. They acted as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, worn out, torn, and mended.5 They had worn out and patched shoes on their feet, they wore old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.6 They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: »We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us.«7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites: »Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a treaty with you?«8 They said: »We are your servants.« Joshua said to them: »Who are you? Where do you come from?«9 They said: »From a very far country, your servants came because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard about him and all he did in Egypt;10 »and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.11 »Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying: ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them: »We are your servants. Therefore make a treaty with us.« ’«12 »We took hot fresh bread for our provision out of our houses on the day we came to you. Now it is dry, and it is moldy:13 »These bottles of wine, which we filled, were new and now they are cracked. Our garments and shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey.«14 The men sampled their provisions but did not ask for counsel from Jehovah.15 Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. The leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath.16 At the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.17 The children of Israel journeyed to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.18 The children of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah God of Israel. The entire congregation murmured against the princes.19 But all the leaders said to the entire congregation: »We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.20 »This we will do to them. We will even let them live in case we become angry. This is because of the oath we swore to them.«21 The leaders said to them: »Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to the entire congregation as the leaders had promised them.22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying: »Why did you deceive us, saying: ‘We are very far from you’ when you dwell among us?23 Now you are cursed, and none of you will be freed from being slaves, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.«24 They answered Joshua: »For the reason that it was absolutely told to your servants, how Jehovah your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and destroy all the inhabitants of the land. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you. So we did this thing.25 »Now we are in your hands. Do to us what seems good and right to you.«26 Joshua saved them from the children of Israel. They did not kill them.27 Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Jehovah, even to this day, in the place he should choose.

1 Depois sucedeu que, ouvindo isto todos os reis que estavam além do Jordão, na região montanhosa, na baixada e em toda a costa do grande mar, defronte do Líbano, os heteus, os amorreus, os cananeus, os perizeus, os heveus, e os jebuseus2 se ajuntaram de comum acordo para pelejar contra Josué e contra Israel.3 Ora, os moradores de Gibeão, ouvindo o que Josué fizera a Jericó e a Ai.4 usaram de astúcia: foram e se fingiram embaixadores, tomando sacos velhos sobre os seus jumentos, e odres de vinho velhos, rotos e recosidos,5 tendo nos seus pés sapatos velhos e remendados, e trajando roupas velhas; e todo o pão que traziam para o caminho era seco e bolorento.6 E vieram a Josué, ao arraial em Gilgal, e disseram a ele e aos homens de Israel: Somos vindos duma terra longínqua; fazei, pois, agora pacto conosco.7 Responderam os homens de Israel a estes heveus: Bem pode ser que habiteis no meio de nós; como pois faremos pacto convosco?8 Então eles disseram a Josué: Nós somos teus servos. Ao que lhes perguntou Josué: Quem sois vós? e donde vindes?9 Responderam-lhe: Teus servos vieram duma terra mui distante, por causa do nome do Senhor teu Deus, porquanto ouvimos a sua fama, e tudo o que fez no Egito,10 e tudo o que fez aos dois reis dos amorreus, que estavam além do Jordão, a Siom, rei de Hesbom, e a Ogue, rei de Basã, que estava em Astarote.11 Pelo que nossos anciãos e todos os moradores da nossa terra nos falaram, dizendo: Tomai nas mãos provisão para o caminho, e ide-lhes ao encontro, e dizei-lhes: Nós somos vossos servos; fazei, pois, agora pacto conosco.12 Este nosso pão tomamo-lo quente das nossas casas para nossa provisão, no dia em que saímos para vir ter convosco, e ei-lo aqui agora seco e bolorento;13 estes odres, que enchemos de vinho, eram novos, e ei-los aqui já rotos; e esta nossa roupa e nossos sapatos já envelheceram em razão do mui longo caminho.14 Então os homens de Israel tomaram da provisão deles, e não pediram conselho ao Senhor.15 Assim Josué fez paz com eles; também fez um pacto com eles, prometendo poupar-lhes a vida; e os príncipes da congregação lhes prestaram juramento.16 Três dias depois de terem feito pacto com eles, ouviram que eram vizinhos e que moravam no meio deles.17 Tendo partido os filhos de Israel, chegaram ao terceiro dia às cidades deles, que eram Gibeom, Cefira, Beerote e Quiriate-Jearir.18 Mas os filhos de Israel não os mataram, porquanto os príncipes da congregação lhes haviam prestado juramento pelo Senhor, o Deus de Israel; pelo que toda a congregação murmurava contra os príncipes.19 Mas os príncipes disseram a toda a congregação: Nós lhes prestamos juramento pelo Senhor, o Deus de Israel, e agora não lhes podemos tocar.20 Isso cumpriremos para com eles, poupando-lhes a vida, para que não haja ira sobre nós, por causa do juramento que lhes fizemos.21 Disseram, pois, os príncipes: Vivam. Assim se tornaram rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água para toda a congregação, como os príncipes lhes disseram.22 Então Josué os chamou, e lhes disse: Por que nos enganastes, dizendo: Mui longe de vós habitamos, morando vós no meio de nós?23 Agora, pois, sois malditos, e dentre vós nunca deixará de haver servos, rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água para a casa do meu Deus.24 Respondendo a Josué, disseram: Porquanto foi anunciado aos teus servos que o Senhor teu Deus ordenou a Moisés, seu servo, que vos desse toda esta terra, e destruísse todos os seus moradores diante de vós, temíamos muito pelas nossas vidas por causa de vós, e fizemos isso.25 E eis que agora estamos na tua mão; faze aquilo que te pareça bom e reto que se nos faça.26 Assim pois ele lhes fez, e livrou-os das mãos dos filhos de Israel, de sorte que estes não os mataram.27 Mas, naquele dia, Josué os fez rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água para a congregação e para o altar do Senhor, no lugar que ele escolhesse, como ainda o são.