Joshua 9

1 Now on hearing the news of these things, all the kings on the west side of Jordan, in the hill-country and the lowlands and by the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,

And it was when heard all the kings who [were] on [the] other side of the Jordan in the hill country and in the Shephelah and in all [the] coast of the sea great to [the] front of Lebanon the Hittite[s] and the Amorite[s] the Canaanite[s] the Perizzite[s] the Hivite[s] and the Jebusite[s].

2 Came together with one purpose, to make war against Joshua and Israel.

And they gathered together all together to wage war with Joshua and with Israel mouth one.

3 And the men of Gibeon, hearing what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

And [the] inhabitants of Gibeon they heard [that] which he had done Joshua to Jericho and to Ai.

4 Acting with deceit, got food together as if for a long journey; and took old food-bags for their asses, and old and cracked wine-skins kept together with cord;

And they acted also they with cunning and they went and they acted as ambassadors and they took sacks worn out for donkeys their and skin-bottles of wine worn out and split and tied up.

5 And put old stitched-up shoes on their feet, and old clothing on their backs; and all the food they had with them was dry and broken up.

And sandals worn out and patched [were] on feet their and garments worn out [were] on them and all [the] bread of provision[s] their it was dried up it was crumbs.

6 And they came to Joshua to the tent-circle at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: so now make an agreement with us.

And they went to Joshua to the camp Gilgal and they said to him and to [the] man of Israel from a land distant we have come and therefore make to us a covenant.

7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, It may be that you are living among us; how then may we make an agreement with you?

(And he said *Q(K)*) [the] man of Israel to the Hivite[s] perhaps in midst my you [are] dwelling and how? (will I make *Q(k)*) to you a covenant.

8 And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. Then Joshua said to them, Who are you and where do you come from?

And they said to Joshua [are] servants your we and he said to them Joshua who? [are] you and from where? do you come.

9 And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the Lord your God: for the story of his great name, and of all he did in Egypt has come to our ears,

And they said to him from a land distant very they have come servants your to [the] name of Yahweh God your for we have heard [the] report of him and all that he did in Egypt.

10 And what he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of Jordan, to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, at Ashtaroth.

And - all that he did to [the] two [the] kings of the Amorite[s] who [were] on [the] other side of the Jordan to Sihon [the] king of Heshbon and to Og [the] king of Bashan who [was] in Ashtaroth.

11 So the responsible men and all the people of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey and go to them, and say to them, We are your servants: so now make an agreement with us.

And they said to us elders our and all [the] inhabitants of land our saying take in hand your provision[s] for the journey and go to meet them and you will say to them [are] servants your we and therefore make to us a covenant.

12 This bread which we have with us for our food, we took warm and new from our houses when starting on our journey to you; but now see, it has become dry and broken up.

This - bread our warm we took as our provisions it from homes our on [the] day came out we to come to you and now here! it has dried up and it has been crumbs.

13 And these wine-skins were new when we put the wine in them, and now they are cracked as you see; and our clothing and our shoes have become old because of our very long journey here.

And these [the] skin-bottles of wine which we filled new and here! they have split and these garments our and sandals our they have worn out from [the] greatness of the journey very.

14 And the men took some of their food, without requesting directions from the Lord.

And they took the men some of provision[s] their and [the] mouth of Yahweh not they asked.

15 So Joshua made peace with them, and made an agreement with them that they were not to be put to death: and the chiefs of the people took an oath to them.

And he made to them Joshua peace and he made to them a covenant to let live them and they swore an oath to them [the] leaders of the congregation.

16 Now three days after, when they had made this agreement with them, they had word that these men were their neighbours, living near them.

And it was from [the] end of three days after that they had made to them a covenant and they heard that [were] near they to him and in midst his they [were] dwelling.

17 And the children of Israel went forward on their journey, and on the third day came to their towns. Now their towns were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

And they set out [the] people of Israel and they came to cities their on the day third and cities their [were] Gibeon and Kephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.

18 And the children of Israel did not put them to death, because the chiefs of the people had taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the people made an outcry against the chiefs.

And not they attacked them [the] people of Israel for they had sworn an oath to them [the] leaders of the congregation by Yahweh [the] God of Israel and they grumbled all the congregation on the leaders.

19 But all the chiefs said to the people, We have taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and so we may not put our hands on them.

And they said all the leaders to all the congregation we we have sworn an oath to them by Yahweh [the] God of Israel and therefore not we are able to touch them.

20 This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.

This we will do to them and we will let live them and not it will be towards us wrath on the oath which we swore to them.

21 Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.

And they said to them the leaders let them live and they were cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation just as they had spoken to them the leaders.

22 Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?

And he summoned them Joshua and he spoke to them saying why? did you deceive us saying [are] distant we from you very and you in midst our [are] dwelling.

23 Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.

And therefore [are] cursed you and not he will be cut off from you a slave and cutters of wood and drawers of water for [the] house of God my.

24 And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.

And they answered Joshua and they said that certainly it was told to servants your this: he had commanded Yahweh God your Moses servant his to give to you all the land and to destroy all [the] inhabitants of the land from before you and we were afraid very for lives our because of you and we did the thing this.

25 And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you.

And therefore here we [are] in hand your according to the good and according to the right in view your to do to us do.

26 So he kept them safe from the children of Israel, and did not let them be put to death.

And he did to them thus and he delivered them from [the] hand of [the] people of Israel and not they killed them.

27 And that day Joshua made them servants, cutting wood and getting water for the people and for the altar of the Lord, in the place marked out by him, to this day.

And he made them Joshua on the day that cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for [the] altar of Yahweh until the day this to the place which he will choose.