Joshua 9

1 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].

And when these things were heard, all the kings across the Jordan, who lived among the mountains and plains, along the coastline and shores of the great sea, also those who were living near Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

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

gathered themselves together, so that they might fight against Joshua and Israel, with one mind and with the same resolve.

3 And [the] inhabitants of Gibeon they heard [that] which he had done Joshua to Jericho and to Ai.

But those who were living in Gibeon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

4 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.

planning cleverly, took for themselves provisions, placing old sacks upon their donkeys, and wineskins that had torn and been sewed up,

5 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.

and having very old shoes, which had been sewn with patches indicating their age, and being clothed in old garments, having also loaves, which they carried as food for the journey, which were hard and broken into pieces.

6 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.

And they traveled to Joshua, who at that time was staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him, and to all of Israel with him, “We have come from a far away land, desiring to make peace with you.” And the sons of Israel responded to them, and said,

7 (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.

“Perhaps instead, you live in the land which ought to be ours by lot, and we would be unable to form a pact with you.”

8 And they said to Joshua [are] servants your we and he said to them Joshua who? [are] you and from where? do you come.

But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them: “But who are you? And where are you from?”

9 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.

They responded: “Your servants have arrived, from a very far away land, in the name of the Lord, your God. For we have heard about the fame of his power, all the things that he has done in Egypt,

10 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.

and to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan: Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

11 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.

And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land, have said to us: ‘Take in hand provisions for the very long journey, and meet with them, and say: We are your servants; form a pact with us.’

12 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.

Lo, the loaves were taken up warm when we departed from our houses, so that we might come to you. Now they have become dry and broken, due to age.

13 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.

These wineskins were new when we filled them, now they are torn and broken. The garments we are wearing, and the shoes we have on our feet, due to the great length of the distance, have become worn and are nearly consumed.”

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

And so they accepted this, because of their provisions, and they did not consult the mouth of the Lord.

15 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.

And Joshua made peace with them, and entering into a pact, he promised that they would not be put to death. The leaders of the multitude also swore to them.

16 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.

Then, three days after the pact was formed, they heard that they lived in the vicinity, and that they would soon be among them.

17 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.

And so the sons of Israel moved the camp, and they arrived at their cities on the third day, those which are called: Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

18 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.

And they did not strike them, because the leaders of the multitude had sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. And so all of the common people murmured against the leaders.

19 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.

And they responded to them: “We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, and for that reason, we are not able to touch them.

20 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.

But we shall do this to them: Certainly, let them be preserved so that they may live, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, since we would have sworn falsely.

21 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.

But though they live, let them serve the entire multitude by cutting wood and carrying water.” And while they were discussing these things,

22 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.

Joshua called the Gibeonites, and he said to them: “Why would you be willing to deceive us by fraud, saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ when you are in our midst?

23 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.

Therefore, you shall be under a curse, and your stock shall not cease to be cutters of wood and carriers of water, into the house of my God.”

24 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.

And they responded: “It was reported to us, your servants, that the Lord your God had promised his servant Moses that he would give you the entire land, and that he would destroy all its inhabitants. Therefore, we were very afraid, and we made a provision for our lives, compelled by the dread of you, and we undertook this counsel.

25 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.

And now we are in your hand. Act toward us as it seems good and right to you.”

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

Therefore, Joshua did just as he had said, and he freed them from the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they would not be killed.

27 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.

And he decreed on that day, that they would be in the ministry of all the people and of the altar of the Lord, cutting wood and carrying water, even until this present time, in the place which the Lord had chosen.