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 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,

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

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

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

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

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;

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

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.

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:

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.

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:

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?

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

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

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;

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.

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 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:

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.

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.

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;

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.

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 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.

14 So the men took of their provision, —but, the bidding of Yahweh, had they not asked.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

25 Now, therefore, here we are, in thy hand, —as may be good and right in thine eyes, to do unto us, do.

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

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

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.

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.