Joshua 9

1 And when these things were heard, all the kings across the Jordan, who lived among the mountains and plains, along the coastline and shores of the great sea, also those who were living near Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

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,

2 gathered themselves together, so that they might fight against Joshua and Israel, with one mind and with the same resolve.

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

3 But those who were living in Gibeon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

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

4 planning cleverly, took for themselves provisions, placing old sacks upon their donkeys, and wineskins that had torn and been sewed up,

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;

5 and having very old shoes, which had been sewn with patches indicating their age, and being clothed in old garments, having also loaves, which they carried as food for the journey, which were hard and broken into pieces.

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.

6 And they traveled to Joshua, who at that time was staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him, and to all of Israel with him, “We have come from a far away land, desiring to make peace with you.” And the sons of Israel responded to them, and said,

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.

7 “Perhaps instead, you live in the land which ought to be ours by lot, and we would be unable to form a pact with you.”

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?

8 But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them: “But who are you? And where are you from?”

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

9 They responded: “Your servants have arrived, from a very far away land, in the name of the Lord, your God. For we have heard about the fame of his power, all the things that he has done in Egypt,

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,

10 and to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan: Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

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.

11 And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land, have said to us: ‘Take in hand provisions for the very long journey, and meet with them, and say: We are your servants; form a pact with us.’

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.

12 Lo, the loaves were taken up warm when we departed from our houses, so that we might come to you. Now they have become dry and broken, due to age.

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.

13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, now they are torn and broken. The garments we are wearing, and the shoes we have on our feet, due to the great length of the distance, have become worn and are nearly consumed.”

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.

14 And so they accepted this, because of their provisions, and they did not consult the mouth of the Lord.

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

15 And Joshua made peace with them, and entering into a pact, he promised that they would not be put to death. The leaders of the multitude also swore to them.

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.

16 Then, three days after the pact was formed, they heard that they lived in the vicinity, and that they would soon be among them.

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

17 And so the sons of Israel moved the camp, and they arrived at their cities on the third day, those which are called: Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

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.

18 And they did not strike them, because the leaders of the multitude had sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. And so all of the common people murmured against the leaders.

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.

19 And they responded to them: “We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, and for that reason, we are not able to touch them.

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.

20 But we shall do this to them: Certainly, let them be preserved so that they may live, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, since we would have sworn falsely.

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.

21 But though they live, let them serve the entire multitude by cutting wood and carrying water.” And while they were discussing these things,

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.

22 Joshua called the Gibeonites, and he said to them: “Why would you be willing to deceive us by fraud, saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ when you are in our midst?

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?

23 Therefore, you shall be under a curse, and your stock shall not cease to be cutters of wood and carriers of water, into the house of my God.”

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.

24 And they responded: “It was reported to us, your servants, that the Lord your God had promised his servant Moses that he would give you the entire land, and that he would destroy all its inhabitants. Therefore, we were very afraid, and we made a provision for our lives, compelled by the dread of you, and we undertook this counsel.

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.

25 And now we are in your hand. Act toward us as it seems good and right to you.”

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

26 Therefore, Joshua did just as he had said, and he freed them from the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they would not be killed.

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

27 And he decreed on that day, that they would be in the ministry of all the people and of the altar of the Lord, cutting wood and carrying water, even until this present time, in the place which the Lord had chosen.

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.