1 When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it 2 they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wine skins, 5 and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply 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 have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us."
7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?"
8 They said to Joshua, "We are your servants."
Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"
9 They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11 Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us."’ 12 This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy. 13 These wine skins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey."
14 The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth. 15 Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them. 16 At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17 The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them. 20 We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them." 21 The princes said to them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God."
24 They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do."
26 He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them. 27 That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for Yahweh’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.
1 And it came to pass when all the kings who [were] on this side of the Jordan, in the mountains and in the valleys and in all the coast of the great sea over against Lebanon, heard [these things], the Hittites and the Amorites the Canaanites the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites
2 gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 they worked with prudence and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old and rent and bound up,
5 and old patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.
6 [Thus] they came unto Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country; now, therefore, make ye a covenant with us.
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a covenant with you?
8 And they said unto Joshua, We [are] thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who [are] you and where do you come from?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far lands thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God, for we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt
10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] on the other side of the Jordan, and to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, who [was] at Ashtaroth.
11 Therefore, our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them, We [are] your servants; therefore, now make ye a covenant with us.
12 This our bread we took hot [for] our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to come unto you, but now, behold, it is dry and mouldy.
13 These bottles of wine, we also filled new, and, behold, they are rent, and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
14 And the men [of Israel] took of their provision and did not ask [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD.
15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; also the princes of the congregation swore unto them.
16 At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard how they [were] their neighbours and that they dwelt among them.
17 And the sons of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim.
18 And the sons of Israel did not smite them because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, now we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will let them live lest wrath come upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had said unto them.
22 And Joshua called for them, and spoke unto them saying, Why have ye beguiled us, saying, We [are] very far from you, when ye dwell among us?
23 Now, therefore, ye [are] cursed, and ye shall always be slaves 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 the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses that he was to give you the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore, we feared greatly of our lives because of you and have done this thing.
25 And now, behold, we [are] in thy hand; as it seems good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 And so did he unto them; he delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not slay them.
27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which he should choose; [which they are] even unto this day.: