Joshua 9

1 And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the lowland, and along all the coast of the great sea as far as opposite to Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [of it],

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)—

2 that they assembled together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

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

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

4 then they also acted with craft, and they went prepared as on a journey, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine-flasks, old and rent and tied up;

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

5 and old and patched sandals upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.

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

6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, From a far country are we come; and now make a covenant with us.

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.”

7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivite, Perhaps thou dwellest in the midst of us, and how should I make a covenant with thee?

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

8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

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

9 And they said to him, From a very far country are thy servants come, because of the name of Jehovah thy God; for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

“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,

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

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.

11 And our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take victuals in your hand for the way, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.

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.’

12 This our bread we took warm for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and is become mouldy.

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.

13 And these flasks of wine which we filled new, behold, they are rent; and these our garments and our sandals are become old by reason of the very long journey.

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.”

14 And the men took of their victuals, but they did not inquire at the mouth of Jehovah.

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

15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the assembly swore unto them.

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

16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt in their midst.

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

17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

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

18 And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel. Then all the assembly murmured against the princes.

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.

19 And all the princes said to all the assembly, We have sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel, and now we may not touch them.

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

20 This we will do to them, and let them live, lest wrath come upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them.

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.”

21 And the princes said to them, Let them live. And they were hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly; as the princes had said to them.

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

22 And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; whereas ye dwell in our midst?

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?

23 And now ye are cursed, and ye shall never cease to be bondmen, and hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the house of my God.

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

24 And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants how that Jehovah thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and did this thing.

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.

25 And now behold, we are in thy hand: as it is good and right in thine eyes to do to us, do.

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

26 And he did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.

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

27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly, and for the altar of Jehovah, to this day, in the place which he should choose.

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.