1 À notícia de tais acontecimentos, todos os reis de além do Jordão, da montanha e da planície, do litoral do mar Grande defronte do Líbano, os hiteus, os amorreus, os cananeus, os ferezeus,2 os heveus e os jebuseus coligaram-se para combater Josué e Israel.3 Mas os habitantes de Gabaon, sabendo o que Josué tinha feito a Jericó e a Hai, usaram de astúcia.4 Puseram-se a caminho, munidos de provisões, seus jumentos carregados de sacos velhos, e odres de vinho rotos e recosidos.5 Levavam nos pés calçado muito velho e remendado, vestiam-se de roupas muito usadas, e o pão de suas provisões estava seco e estragado.6 Foram assim ter com Josué no acampamento de Gálgala, e disseram-lhe, bem como a todo o Israel: Viemos de uma terra longínqua; fazei aliança conosco.7 Os israelitas responderam: Talvez habiteis perto de nós; como, pois, poderíamos fazer aliança convosco?8 Mas eles disseram a Josué: Somos teus servos. Josué disse-lhes: Quem sois vós? De onde vindes? Eles responderam-lhe:9 Teus servos vêm de uma terra muito distante por causa do nome do Senhor, teu Deus; pois ouvimos falar dele e de tudo o que fez no Egito,10 e de como tratou os dois reis dos amorreus além do Jordão, Seon, rei de Hesebon e Og, rei de Basã, que moravam em Astarot.11 Por isso, nossos anciãos e todos os habitantes de nossa terra nos disseram: tomai convosco provisões para o caminho, ide ao seu encontro e dizei-lhes: somos vossos servos; fazei aliança conosco.12 Vede o nosso pão. Nós o tínhamos tomado quente quando partimos de nossas casas para vir ter convosco: ei-lo como está agora seco e mofado.13 Estes odres de vinho que tínhamos enchido novos, agora estão rotos e descosidos; nossas vestes e nossos calçados estão gastos por causa da longa viagem que fizemos.14 Os israelitas, sem ter consultado o Senhor, aceitaram as suas provisões.15 Josué concedeu-lhes a paz e fez com eles uma aliança que lhes assegurava a vida, e os principais da assembléia confirmaram-na com juramento.16 Três dias depois desse tratado, souberam que aquela gente era vizinha e habitava no meio deles.17 Então os israelitas puseram-se a caminho e ao terceiro dia chegaram às suas cidades, cujos nomes são estes: Gabaon, Cafira, Berot e Cariatiarim.18 Eles não os feriram por causa do juramento que lhes tinham feito os principais da assembléia em nome do Senhor, Deus de Israel. E toda a assembléia começou a murmurar contra eles.19 Eles responderam: Fizemos-lhes um juramento em nome do Senhor, Deus de Israel, e não podemos tocar neles.20 Eis, porém, como havemos de tratá-los: deixá-los-emos vivos, para que não se excite contra nós a ira do Senhor, se faltarmos ao juramento.21 Ficarão vivos, declararam os chefes, mas serão empregados em cortar lenha e carregar água para toda a assembléia. Inteirado da decisão dos chefes,22 Josué convocou-os e interpelou-os: Por que nos enganastes dizendo que éreis de uma terra longínqua, quando habitáveis no meio de nós?23 Agora malditos sejais: vossa servidão não cessará jamais e continuareis a cortar lenha e a carregar água para a casa do meu Deus.24 Eles responderam a Josué: A nós, teus servos, chegou a notícia de que o Senhor teu Deus havia ordenado a Moisés, seu servo, que vos desse toda a terra e exterminasse todos os seus habitantes diante de vós. Tivemos, pois, muito medo à vossa aproximação e, temendo por nossas vidas, tomamos esse expediente.25 Agora, eis-nos em tuas mãos; trata-nos como te parecer justo e bom.26 Fez Josué como tinha dito, e livrou-os das mãos dos filhos de Israel, que os não mataram.27 Determinou naquele dia que fossem empregados no serviço da comunidade e do altar, cortando lenha e carregando água para o lugar que o Senhor escolhesse, funções que exercem ainda hoje.
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings that were on this side of the Jordan, in the mountain, and in the lowlands, and in all the coast of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittites, and the Emorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard this,2 That they assembled themselves all together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.3 And when the inhabitants of Gibon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto Ai,4 They also did work wilily, and went and feigned to be messengers, and took old sacks for their asses, and winebottles, old, and rent, and bound up;5 And put old and patchedup shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a faroff country; and now make ye a covenant with us.7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell in the midst of us; and how can we make a covenant with you:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and whence come ye!9 And they said unto him, From a very faroff country are thy servants come, because of the name of the Lord 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 Emorites, that were beyond the Jordan, to Sichon the king of Cheshbon, and to Og the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, as followeth, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, Your servants are we: and now make ye with us a covenant.12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and it is become mouldy:13 And these winebottles, which we filled, when new, but behold, they are now become rent; and these our garments and our shoes are become worn out by reason of the very long journey.14 And the men took of their provisions, but the decision of the Lord they did not ask.15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore unto them.16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt in the midst of them.17 And the children of Israel broke up, and came unto their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gibon, and Kephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiryathyearim.18 And the children of Israel smote them not; because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord, the God of Israel; but all the congregation murmured against the princes.19 And all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord the God of Israel: and now we cannot touch them.20 This will we do to them, and we will let them live, that there be no wrath upon us, on account of the oath which we have sworn unto them.21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live: and they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had spoken unto them.22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you: whereas ye dwell in the midst of us?23 And now be ye cursed, and there shall not cease to be of you servants and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God had commanded his servant Moses to give unto you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; wherefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and we have done this thing.25 And now, behold, we are in thy hand; as it seemeth good and right in thy eyes to do unto us, so do.26 And he did unto them thus; and he delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they slew them not.27 And Joshua appointed them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, for the place which he should choose.