Joshua 9

1 And it came to pass, when all the kings who were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea opposite Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard these things;

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 That they gathered themselves together, 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 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

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

4 They also worked deceitfully, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine bottles, old, and torn, 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 old and patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

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 And they went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We have come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

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 to the Hivites, Perhaps ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

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

8 And they said to Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are ye? and where did you come from?

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

9 And they said to him, From a very far country thy servants have come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did 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 did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at 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 Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.

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 we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:

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 bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they are torn: and these our garments and our shoes are become old 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 And the men took of their provisions, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

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

15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to 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 made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

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

17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

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 children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation 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 But all the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by the LORD 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 we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we swore to 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 to them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation; as the princes had promised 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 he spoke to them, saying, Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

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 ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being slaves, and 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 answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were greatly afraid for our lives because of you, and have done 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 And now, behold, we are in thy hand: do as it seemeth good and right to thee to do to us.

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

26 And so did he to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that 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 made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even to 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.