Joshua 9

1 And whanne these thingis weren herd, alle the kyngis biyende Jordan, that lyueden in the hilly places, and in `the feeldi places, in the coostis of the see, and in the brynke of the greet see, and thei that dwellen bisidis Liban, Ethei, and Ammorrei, Cananei, and Feresey, Euey, and Jebusey,

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 weren gaderid togidere to fiyte ayens Josue and Israel, with o wille, and the same sentence.

Gathered themselves together, to fight against Josue and Israel with one mind, and one resolution.

3 And thei that dwelten in Gabaon, herden alle thingis whiche Josue hadde do to Jerico, and to Hay; and thei thouyten felli,

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

4 and token to hem silf metis, and puttyden elde sackis on assis, and wyn botels brokun and sewid, and ful elde schoon,

Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again,

5 whiche weren sewid togidere with patchis, to `the schewyng of eldenesse; and thei weren clothid with elde clothis; also looues, whiche thei baren for lijflode in the weie, weren harde and brokun in to gobetis.

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 thei yeden to Josue, that dwellide thanne in tentis in Galgala; and thei seiden to hym, and to al Israel togidere, We comen fro a fer lond, and coueyten to make pees with you. And the men of Israel answeriden to hem,

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 seiden, Lest perauenture ye dwellen in the lond, which is due to vs bi eritage, and we moun not make bond of pees with you.

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

8 And thei seiden to Josue, We ben thi seruauntis. To whiche Josue seide, What men ben ye, and fro whennus camen ye?

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

9 Thei answeriden, Thi seruauntis camen fro a ful fer lond in the name of thi Lord God, for we herden the fame of his power, alle thingis whiche he dide in Egipt,

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 to twei kyngis of Ammorreis biyendis Jordan; to Seon king of Esebon, and to Og kyng of Basan, that weren in Astroth.

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 And the eldere men and alle the dwelleris of oure lond seiden to vs, Take ye metis in youre hondis, for lengeste weie; and go ye to hem, and seie ye, We ben youre seruauntis; make ye boond of pees with vs.

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 And we token hoote looues, whanne we yeden out of oure housis to come to you; now tho ben maad drye and brokun, for greet eldenesse;

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 we filliden newe botels of wyn; now tho ben brokun and vndoon; the clothis and schoon, with whiche we ben clothid, and whiche we han `in the feet, ben brokun and almost wastid, fro the lengthe of lengere weie.

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 Therfor `the sones of Israel token of the metis of hem, and thei axiden not `the mouth of the Lord.

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

15 And Josue made pees with hem. And whanne the boond of pees was maad, he bihiyte, that thei schulden not be slayn; and the princes of the multitude sworen to hem.

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 Forsothe aftir thre daies of the boond of pees maad, thei herden, that thei dwelliden in nyy place, and that thei schulden be among hem.

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

17 And the sones of Israel mouyden tentis, and camen in the thridde dai in to the citees of hem, of whiche citees these ben the names; Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and Cariathiarym.

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 thei smytiden not hem, for the princis of the multitude hadden swore to hem in the name of the Lord God of Israel. Therfor al the comyn puple grutchide ayens the princis of Israel;

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 whiche answeriden to hem, We sworen to hem in the name of the Lord God of Israel, and therfor we moun not touche hem;

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 but we schulen do this thing to hem, sotheli be thei reserued that thei lyue, lest the ire of the Lord be stirid ayens vs, if we forsweren to hem;

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 but so lyue thei, that thei hewe trees, and bere watris, in to the vsis of al the multitude. And while thei spaken these thingis,

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 Josue clepide Gabonytis, and seide to hem, Whi wolden ye disseyue vs bi fraude, `that ye seiden, We dwellen ful fer fro you, sithen ye ben in the myddis of vs?

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 Therfor ye schulen be `vndur cursyng, and noon schal faile of youre generacioun, hewynge trees and berynge watris, in to the hows 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 Whiche answeryden, It was told to vs thi seruauntis, that thi Lord God bihiyte to Moises, his seruaunt, that he schulde bitake to you al the lond, and schulde leese alle the dwelleris therof; therfor we dredden greetli, and purueiden to oure lyues, and weren compellid bi youre drede, and we token this counsel.

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 `Now forsothe we ben in `thin hond; do thou to vs that, that semeth riytful and good to thee.

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

26 Therfor Josue dide, as he seide, and delyuerede hem fro the hondis of the sones of Israel, that thei schulden not be slayn.

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 in that dai Josue demyde hem to be in to the seruyce of al the puple, and of the auter of the Lord, and to hewe trees, and to bere watris, `til in to present tyme, in the place which the Lord hadde chose.

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.