1 Tendo ouvido isto todos os reis que estavam além do Jordão, na região montanhosa, na Sefelá e em toda a costa do grande mar defronte do Líbano, os heteus, os amorreus, os cananeus, os ferezeus, os heveus e os jebuseus,2 de comum acordo reuniram-se para pelejar contra Josué e contra Israel.3 Porém os habitantes de Gibeom, tendo ouvido o que fizera Josué a Jericó e a Ai,4 usaram de astúcia: foram e se fingiram embaixadores, carregando sobre os seus jumentos sacos velhos, e odres velhos, rotos e consertados,5 tendo nos pés sapatos velhos e remendados, e trajando roupas velhas. Todo o pão de que se proveram era seco, e havia-se tornado bolorento.6 Foram ter com Josué ao acampamento em Gilgal e disseram-lhe a ele e a todos os homens de Israel: Somos vindos de uma terra longínqua; fazei agora aliança conosco.7 Responderam os homens de Israel aos heveus: Talvez habiteis entre nós; como, pois, faremos aliança convosco?8 Tornaram a Josué: Nós somos teus servos. Então lhes perguntou Josué: Quem sois vós? donde vindes?9 Responderam-lhe: Duma terra mui longínqua são vindos teus servos por causa do nome de Jeová teu Deus, porque temos ouvido a sua fama, e tudo o que fez no Egito,10 e tudo quanto fez aos dois reis dos amorreus, que estavam além do Jordão, a Seom, rei de Hesbom, e a Ogue, rei de Basã, que estava em Astarote.11 Os nossos anciãos e todos os habitantes da nossa terra nos disseram: Tomai nas mãos provisão para o caminho, e ide-lhes ao encontro, e dizei-lhes: Nós somos vossos servos; fazei agora aliança conosco.12 Este nosso pão tomamo-lo quente das nossas casas para a nossa provisão no dia em que saímos para ir ter convosco; mas eis que agora está seco, e já se tornou bolorento;13 estes odres que enchemos de vinho, eram novos, e eis que agora são rotos; estes nossos vestidos e os nossos sapatos já se envelheceram em razão do mui longo caminho.14 Os homens tomaram da provisão deles, e não pediram conselhos à boca de Jeová.15 Josué também fez paz com eles, e estabeleceu uma aliança para lhes poupar a vida; e os príncipes da congregação lhes juraram.16 Ao fim de três dias depois de terem feito aliança com eles, ouviram que eram os seus vizinhos, e que moravam no meio deles.17 Tendo partido os filhos de Israel, chegaram no terceiro dia às cidades deles. Ora as suas cidades eram Gibeom, Quefira, Beerote e Quiriate-Jearim.18 Os filhos de Israel não os feriram, porque os príncipes da congregação lhes haviam jurado por Jeová, Deus de Israel. Então toda a congregação murmurou contra os príncipes.19 Mas todos os príncipes disseram a toda a congregação: Nós lhes juramos por Jeová, Deus de Israel; agora não os podemos tocar.20 Isso lhes faremos, e os deixaremos viver, para que não venha grande ira sobre nós, por faltarmos ao juramento que lhes fizemos.21 Disseram-lhes os príncipes: Vivam. Assim se tornaram rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água para toda a congregação, como os príncipes lhes haviam dito.22 Chamou-os Josué, e disse-lhes: Por que nos enganastes, dizendo: Nós habitamos mui longe de vós; quando habitais entre nós?23 Agora sois malditos, e dentre vós nunca deixará de haver escravos, rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água, para a casa do meu Deus.24 Então responderam a Josué: Foi anunciado aos teus servos, como Jeová teu Deus ordenou aos seu servo Moisés que vos desse toda a terra, e que destruísse diante de vós todos os habitantes da mesma; por isso temíamos de vós pelas nossas vidas, e fizemos isto.25 Eis que agora estamos nas tuas mãos; faze-nos o que te parecer bom e justo que se nos faça.26 Assim lhes fez, e livrou-os das mãos dos filhos de Israel, de sorte que os não mataram.27 Nesse dia Josué fê-los rachadores de lenha e tiradores de água para a congregação, e para o altar de Jeová, no lugar que escolhesse, como se vê até o dia de hoje.

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.