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 it came to pass, when all the kings that were on this side of the Jordan, in the mountain, and in the lowlands, and in all the coast of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittites, and the Emorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard this,

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

That they assembled themselves all together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

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

And when the inhabitants of Gib'on heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and unto 'Ai,

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.

They also did work wilily, and went and feigned to be messengers, and took old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;

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 [put] old and patched-up shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

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 went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far-off country; and now make ye 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 men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell in the midst of us; and how can we 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 unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and whence come ye!

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 unto him, From a very far-off country are thy servants come, because of the name of the Lord thy God; for we have heard his fame, and all that he hath done 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 hath done to the two kings of the Emorites, that were beyond the Jordan, to Sichon the king of Cheshbon, and to 'Og the king of Bashan, who was at 'Ashtaroth.

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.”

Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, as followeth, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, Your servants are we: and now make ye with us a covenant.

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.

This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; and now, behold, it is dry, and it is 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 wine-bottles, which we filled, when new, — but behold, they are now become rent; and these our garments and our shoes are become worn out by reason 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 men took of their provisions, but the decision of the Lord they did not ask.

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 made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore unto 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 at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt in the midst of 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 broke up, and came unto their cities on the third day; and their cities were Gib'on, and Kephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiryath-ye'arim.

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.

And the children of Israel smote them not; because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord, the God of Israel; but all the congregation murmured against 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 all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord the God of Israel: and now we cannot 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 will we do to them, and we will let them live, that there be no wrath upon us, on account of the oath which we have sworn unto 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.

And the princes said unto them, Let them live: and they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation, as the princes had spoken unto 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 for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you: whereas ye dwell in the midst of 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 be ye cursed, and there shall not cease to be of you servants and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of 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, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God had commanded his servant Moses to give unto you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; wherefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and we have done 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 thy hand; as it seemeth good and right in thy eyes to do unto us, so do.

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 he did unto them thus; and he delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, and they slew them not.

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 appointed them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, for the place which he should choose.