Joshua 9

1 Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)—

And when all the Kings that were beyonde Iorden, in the mountaines and in the valleis, and by all the coastes of the great Sea ouer against Lebanon (as the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hiuites, and the Iebusites) heard thereof,

2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

They gathered themselues together, to fight against Ioshua, and against Israel with one accord.

3 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

But the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Ioshua had done vnto Iericho, and to Ai.

4 acted deceptively and set out as envoys, carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

And therefore they wrought craftily: for they went, and fayned themselues ambassadours, and tooke olde sackes vpon their asses, and olde bottels for wine, both rent and bound vp,

5 They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy.

And olde shoes and clouted vpon their feete: also the raiment vpon them was old, and all their prouision of bread was dried, and mouled.

6 They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treaty with us.”

So they came vnto Ioshua into the hoste to Gilgal, and said vnto him, and vnto the men of Israel, Wee be come from a farre countrey: nowe therefore make a league with vs.

7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”

Then the men of Israel said vnto the Hiuites, It may be that thou dwellest among vs, how then can I make a league with thee?

8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. Then Joshua asked them, “Who are you and where have you come from?”

And they said vnto Ioshua, We are thy seruants. Then Ioshua saide vnto them, Who are ye? and whence come ye?

9 “Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt,

And they answered him, From a very farre countrey thy seruants are come for the Name of the Lord thy God: for we haue heard his fame and all that he hath done in Egypt,

10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

And all that he hath done to the two Kings of the Amorites that were beyonde Iorden, to Sihon King of Heshbon, and to Og King of Bashan, which were at Ashtaroth.

11 So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’

Wherefore our elders, and all the inhabitants of our countrey spake to vs, saying, Take vitailes with you for the iourney, and go to meete them, and say vnto them, Wee are your seruants: now therefore make ye a league with vs.

12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy.

This our bread we tooke it hote with vs for vittailes out of our houses, the day we departed to come vnto you: but nowe beholde, it is dried, and it is mouled.

13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”

Also these bottels of wine which we filled, were newe, and lo, they be rent, and these our garments and our shooes are olde, by reason of the exceeding great iourney.

14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD.

And the men accepted their tale concerning their vittailes, and counselled not with the mouth of the Lord.

15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

So Ioshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, that he would suffer them to liue: also the Princes of the Congregation sware vnto them.

16 Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them.

But at the end of three dayes, after they had made a league with them, they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

And the children of Israel tooke their iourney, and came vnto their cities the third day, and their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth and Kiriath-iearim.

18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

And the children of Israel slewe them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: wherefore all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.

19 All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

Then all the Princes said vnto all the Congregation, We haue sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: nowe therefore we may not touch them.

20 This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

But this we wil doe to them, and let them liue, least the wrath be vpon vs because of the othe which we sware vnto them.

21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

And the Princes sayd vnto them againe, Let them liue, but they shall hewe wood, and drawe water vnto all the Congregation, as the Princes appoint them.

22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?

Ioshua then called them, and talked with them, and sayd, Wherefore haue ye beguiled vs, saying, We are very farre from you, when ye dwel among vs?

23 Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.

24 The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this.

And they answered Ioshua, and sayd, Because it was tolde thy seruants, that the Lord thy God had commanded his seruant Moses to giue you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land out of your sight, therefore we were exceeding sore afraid for our liues at the presence of you, and haue done this thing:

25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

And beholde nowe, we are in thine hand: doe as it seemeth good and right in thine eyes to doe vnto vs.

26 So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites.

Euen so did he vnto them, and deliuered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slewe them not.

27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

And Ioshua appointed them that same day to be hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the Congregation, and for the altar of the Lord vnto this day, in the place which he should chuse.