Joshua 9

1 All the kings west of the Jordan heard what had happened. These included the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites who lived in the hill country, the lowlands, and along the coast as far as Lebanon.

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 So they gathered to fight together as a united army against Joshua and the Israelites.

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

3 But when the people of Gibeon heard 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 they decided on a cunning plan. They sent messengers to Joshua, their donkeys wearing worn-out saddles and carrying old wineskins that were torn and patched.

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 They put on worn sandals that had been mended and wore old clothes. All their bread was dry and moldy.

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 They went to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and told him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a land far away, so please make a treaty 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 But the Israelites said to the Hivites, “Maybe you live close by. If you do, we cannot make a treaty 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 “We are your servants,” they replied. “But who are you? Where do you come from?” Joshua asked.

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 “Your servants have come from a land far away,” they replied. “For we have heard of the reputation of the Lord your God, and reports of all that he did in Egypt,

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 Amorite kings east of the Jordan—to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who ruled in 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 our leaders and everyone who lives in our land told us: Take what you need with you for the journey. Go and meet with them, and tell them, ‘We are your servants. Please make a treaty 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 Look at this bread. It was warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come here. But now it's dry and moldy, as you can see.

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 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look at them now—they're split and damaged. These clothes of ours and our sandals are all worn out because the journey took so long.”

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 The Israelites tried some of the food. However, they did not consult the Lord.

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

15 Then Joshua made a treaty with them, promising to spare their lives, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to guarantee it.

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 Three days after they had made the treaty, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby, right among 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 The Israelites left to go to the Gibeonite towns, and arrived there on the third day. The towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, 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 But the Israelites did not attack them because of the treaty sworn by the leaders of the assembly in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. At this all the Israelites protested against the leaders.

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 the leaders replied to the people, “We swore to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so we cannot lay a hand on them now.

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 So this is what we're going to do to them. We'll let them live, so that we won't be punished for breaking the oath that we swore 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 The leaders concluded, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly, as the Israelite leaders had ordered.

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 summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, “Why did you trick us? You told us, ‘We live a long way from you,’ but you live right next door to 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 Consequently you are under a curse. From now on you shall forever be servants, woodcutters and water-carriers 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 They answered Joshua, “We your servants were told very clearly that the Lord your God had ordered Moses to give you all this land, and that all its inhabitants were to be wiped out before you. So we really feared for our lives because of you. That's why we did what we did.

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 Now we're in your hands. Do to us what you think is right and just.”

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 Joshua did as he had said. He saved them from the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.

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

27 That day Joshua made them woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly and for the altar of the Lord wherever the Lord should choose. That is what they do right up to this very 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.