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,

It happened, 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 Hethite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it

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

that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

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

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

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

they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up,

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 old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.

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,

They went to Joshua to 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 “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.”

The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant 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?”

They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? 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,

They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of YHWH your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,

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 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 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.’

Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant 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 our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, look, it is dry, and has become moldy.

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.”

These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and look, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey."

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

The men sampled their provisions, and did not ask counsel from the mouth of YHWH.

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.

Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the congregation swore 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.

It happened 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 lived among 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.

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 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.

The children of Israel did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by YHWH, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation murmured against the leaders.

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 leaders said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by YHWH, the God of Israel; and now therefore we may not touch 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 we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore 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,

And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, and all the congregation did as the leaders had spoken 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?

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 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 therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of 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.

They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how YHWH 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 And now we are in your hand. Act toward us as it seems good and right to you.”

Now, look, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do."

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.

He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.

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.

That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of YHWH, to this day, in the place which he should choose.