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; —

Then all the kings who lived beyond the Jordan in the hill country, and in the lowlands along the shore of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites—

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

these joined together under one command, to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

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

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to 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;

they acted with a cunning plan. They went as messengers. They took worn-out sacks and put them on their donkeys. They also took old wineskins that were worn, torn, and had been repaired.

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 old and patched sandals on their feet, and dressed in old, worn-out clothing. All the bread in their food supply 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.

Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have traveled from a very far country, so now make a covenant 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?

The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a covenant 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?

They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where did 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;

They said to him, “Your servants have come here from a land very far away, because of the name of Yahweh your God. We have heard a report about him and about everything 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 everything that he did to the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan who was at 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.

Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey. Go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. 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 is our bread, it was still warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come to you. But now, see, it is 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, and look, now they are leaking. Our garments and our sandals are worn-out from a very long journey.'”

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

So the Israelites took some of their provisions, but they did not consult with Yahweh for guidance.

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.

Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The leaders of the people also made a vow 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 the Israelites made this covenant with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and that they lived nearby.

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.

Then the people of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, 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.

The people of Israel did not attack them because their leaders had taken an oath about them before Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the Israelites were grumbling against their 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.

But all the leaders said to all the people, “We have taken an oath concerning them by Yahweh, the God of Israel, and now we cannot harm 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 what we will do to them: To avoid any wrath that may come on us because of the oath we swore to them, we will let them live.”

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.

The leaders said to their people, “Let them live.” So, the Gibeonites became cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the Israelites, just as the leaders said about them.

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?

Joshua called for them and said, “Why did you deceive us when you said, 'We are very far from you', when you live right here 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, because of this, you are cursed and some of you will always be slaves, those who cut wood and draw water 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.

They answered Joshua and said, “Because it was told to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you—so we were very afraid for our lives because of you. That is why we did this thing.

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

Now, look, you hold us in your power. Whatever seems good and right for you to do to us, do it.”

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 for them: He delivered them out of the control of the people of Israel, so that the Israelites did not kill them.

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.

That day Joshua made the Gibeonites cutters of wood and drawers of water for the community, and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that Yahweh chooses.