Joshua 9

1 And it came to pass, when they heard, —namely, all the kings who were over the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland, and in all the coast of the great sea, over against the Lebanon, —the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; —

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 then gathered they themselves together as one man, to fight with Joshua, and with Israel, —with one accord.

they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

3 Now, the inhabitants of Gibeon, heard that which Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto Ai;

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

4 they, however, acted craftily, and went and started, —and took old sacks for their asses, and leathern wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

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

5 and sandals, old and patched, upon their feet, and worn-out mantles upon them, —and, all the bread of their provision, was dry and broken.

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 So they took their journey unto Joshua, unto the camp, at Gilgal, —and said unto him, and unto the men of Israel, From a far country, are we come, Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant.

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 unto the Hivites, —Peradventure, in our midst, ye are dwelling, how then can we solemnise with you a covenant?

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: Thy servants, we are. And Joshua said unto 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 unto him—From a very far country, have thy servants come, because of the name of Yahweh thy God, —because we had heard his fame, and all that he had done 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 had done unto the two kings of the Amorites who were over the Jordan, —unto Sihon, king of Heshbon, and unto Og, king of Bashan, who was in 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 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spake unto us, saying—Take ye, in your hand, provision for the journey, and go your way to meet them, —then shall ye say unto them, Your servants, we are. Now, therefore, solemnise with us a covenant.

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, took we, hot, for our provision, out of our houses, on the day we came forth to journey unto you, —but, now, lo! it is dry, yea it is broken;

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 leathern wine bottles, which we filled new, lo! also, they are rent, —and, as for these our mantles and our sandals, they are worn out, 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 So the men took of their provision, —but, the bidding of Yahweh, had they not asked.

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 solemnised with them a covenant to let them live, —and the princes of the assembly, entered into an oath with 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 solemnised with them a covenant, that they heard that, near neighbours, they were unto them, and, in their midst, they were dwelling.

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

17 So the sons of Israel brake up, and came in unto their cities on the third day, —their cities, being Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

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

18 And the sons of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel, —but 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 unto all the assembly, We, have sworn unto them, by Yahweh, God of Israel, —now, therefore, 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, will we do unto them, even let them live, —lest there come on us wrath, because of the oath which we have sworn 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 unto them—Let them live. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the assembly, as the princes spake unto 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 spake unto them, saying, —Wherefore did ye deceive us, saying—We are, very far, from you, whereas, ye, in our midst, are dwelling?

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 Now, therefore, accursed, ye are, —and ye shall not cease to be in bond-service as 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 responded to Joshua, and said—Because it was, plainly told, thy servants, how that Yahweh thy God had commanded Moses his servant to give unto you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, —therefore feared we 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 Now, therefore, here we are, in thy hand, —as may be good and right in thine eyes, to do unto us, do.

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

26 And he did to them so, —and rescued them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, and they slew them not.

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

27 And Joshua appointed them that day to be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto the assembly, —and unto the altar of Yahweh, [as they are] until 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.