Joshua 9

1 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—

And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],

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

they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

3 When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.

4 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.

And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and tore and patched bottles of wine,

5 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.

and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.

6 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.”

And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.

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

And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure you dwell amongst us; and how should I make a covenant with you?

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

And they said to Joshua, We are your servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are you, and whence have you come?

9 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—

And they said, Your servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,

10 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.

and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who lived in Astaroth and in Edrain.

11 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.”

And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.

12 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.

These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.

13 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.'”

And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are tore; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.

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

And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.

15 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.

And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

16 Three days after the Israelites made this covenant with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and that they lived nearby.

And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they lived amongst them.

17 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.

And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.

18 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.

Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

19 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.

And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

20 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.”

This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

21 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.

They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22 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?

And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have you deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas you are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell amongst us?

23 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.”

And now you are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.

24 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.

And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord your God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that lived on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.

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

And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.

26 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.

And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.

27 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.

And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.