Joshua 9

1 Now When these things were heard of, all the kings beyond the Jordan, that dwelt in the mountains and in the plains, in the places near the sea, and on the coasts of the great sea, they also that dwell by Libanus, the Hethite and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite,

And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],

2 Gathered themselves together, to fight against Josue and Israel with one mind, and one resolution.

they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

3 But they that dwelt in Gabaon, hearing all that Josue had done to Jericho and Hai:

And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.

4 Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again,

And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and rent and patched bottles of wine,

5 And very old shoes, which for a show of age were clouted with patches, and old garments upon them: the leaves also, which they carried for provisions by the way, were hard, and broken into pieces:

and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.

6 And they went to Josue, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him, and to all Israel with him: We are come from a far country, desiring to make peace with you. And the children of Israel answered them, and said:

And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.

7 Perhaps you dwell in the land which falls to our lot; if so, we can make no league with you.

And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure thou dwellest amongst us; and how should I make a covenant with thee?

8 But they said to Josue: We are thy servants. Josue said to them: Who are you? and whence came you?

And they said to Joshua, We are thy servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are ye, and whence have ye come?

9 They answered: From a very far country thy servants are come in the name of the Lord thy God. For we have heard the fame of his power, all the things that he did in Egypt.

And they said, Thy servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,

10 And to the two kings of the Amorrhites that were beyond the Jordan, Sehon king of Hesebon, and Og king of Basan, that was in Astaroth:

and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who dwelt in Astaroth and in Edrain.

11 And our ancients, and all the inhabitants of our country said to us: Take with you victuals for a long way, and go meet them, and say: We are your servants, make ye a league with us.

And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and ye shall say to them, We are thy servants, and now make a covenant with us.

12 Behold, these leaves we took hot, when we set out from our houses to come to you, now they are become dry, and broken in pieces, by being exceeding old.

These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.

13 These bottles of wine when we filled them were new, now they are rent and burst. These garments we have on, and the shoes we have on our feet, by reason of the very long journey are worn out, and almost consumed.

And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are rent; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.

14 They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth of the Lord.

And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.

15 And Josue made peace with them, and entering into a league promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the multitude swore to them.

And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

16 Now three days after the league was made, they heard that they dwelt nigh, and they should be among them.

And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

17 And the children of Israel removed the camp, and came into their cities on the third day, the names of which are Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and Cariathiarim.

And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.

18 And they slew them not, because the princes of the multitude had sworn in the name of the Lord the God of Israel. Then all the common people murmured against the princes.

Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

19 And they answered them: We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord the God of Israel, and therefore we may not touch them.

And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

20 But this we mill do to them: Let their lives be saved, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, if we should be forsworn.

This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

21 But so let them live, as to serve the whole multitude in hewing wood, and bringing in water. As they were speaking these things,

They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22 Josue called the Gabaonites and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?

And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?

23 Therefore you shall be under a curse, and your race shall always be hewers of wood, and carriers of water unto the house of my God.

And now ye are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.

24 They answered: It was told us thy servants, that the Lord thy God had promised his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants thereof. Therefore we feared exceedingly and provided for our lives. compelled by the dread we had of you and we took this counsel.

And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord thy God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that dwelt on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.

25 And now we are in thy hand: deal with us as it seemeth good and right unto thee.

And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.

26 So Josue did as he had said, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, that they should not be slain.

And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.

27 And he gave orders in that day that they should be in the service of all the people, and of the altar of the Lord, hewing wood and carrying water, until this present time, in the place which the Lord hath chosen.

And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.