< Iosue 9 >

1 Quibus auditis, cuncti reges trans Jordanem, qui versabantur in montanis et campestribus, in maritimis ac littore magni maris, hi quoque qui habitabant juxta Libanum, Hethæus et Amorrhæus, Chananæus, Pherezæus, et Hevæus, et Jebusæus,
And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
2 congregati sunt pariter, ut pugnarent contra Josue et Israël uno animo, eademque sententia.
That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 At hi qui habitabant in Gabaon, audientes cuncta quæ fecerat Josue Jericho, et Hai,
And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4 et callide cogitantes, tulerunt sibi cibaria, saccos veteres asinis imponentes, et utres vinarios scissos atque consutos,
They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
5 calceamentaque perantiqua quæ ad indicium vetustatis pittaciis consuta erant, induti veteribus vestimentis: panes quoque, quos portabant ob viaticum, duri erant, et in frustra comminuti:
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
6 perrexeruntque ad Josue, qui tunc morabatur in castris Galgalæ, et dixerunt ei, atque simul omni Israëli: De terra longinqua venimus, pacem vobiscum facere cupientes. Responderuntque viri Israël ad eos, atque dixerunt:
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
7 Ne forte in terra, quæ nobis sorte debetur, habitetis, et non possimus fœdus inire vobiscum.
And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8 At illi ad Josue: Servi, inquiunt, tui sumus. Quibus Josue ait: Quinam estis vos? et unde venistis?
And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9 Responderunt: De terra longinqua valde venerunt servi tui in nomine Domini Dei tui. Audivimus enim famam potentiæ ejus, cuncta quæ fecit in Ægypto,
And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of YHWH thy Elohim: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
10 et duobus regibus Amorrhæorum qui fuerunt trans Jordanem, Sehon regi Hesebon, et Og regi Basan, qui erat in Astaroth:
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, which was at Ashtaroth.
11 dixeruntque nobis seniores, et omnes habitatores terræ nostræ: Tollite in manibus cibaria ob longissimam viam, et occurrite eis, et dicite: Servi vestri sumus: fœdus inite nobiscum.
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
12 En panes quando egressi sumus de domibus nostris, ut veniremus ad vos, calidos sumpsimus; nunc sicci facti sunt, et vetustate nimia comminuti.
This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
13 Utres vini novos implevimus; nunc rupti sunt et soluti. Vestes et calceamenta quibus induimur, et quæ habemus in pedibus, ob longitudinem longioris viæ trita sunt, et pene consumpta.
And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
14 Susceperunt igitur de cibariis eorum, et os Domini non interrogaverunt.
And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of YHWH.
15 Fecitque Josue cum eis pacem, et inito fœdere pollicitus est quod non occiderentur: principes quoque multitudinis juraverunt eis.
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16 Post dies autem tres initi fœderis, audierunt quod in vicino habitarent, et inter eos futuri essent.
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.
17 Moveruntque castra filii Israël, et venerunt in civitates eorum die tertio, quarum hæc vocabula sunt: Gabaon, et Caphira, et Beroth, et Cariathiarim.
And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
18 Et non percusserunt eos, eo quod jurassent eis principes multitudinis in nomine Domini Dei Israël. Murmuravit itaque omne vulgus contra principes.
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by YHWH Elohim of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 Qui responderunt eis: Juravimus illis in nomine Domini Dei Israël, et idcirco non possumus eos contingere.
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by YHWH Elohim of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
20 Sed hoc faciemus eis: reserventur quidem ut vivant, ne contra nos ira Domini concitetur, si pejeraverimus:
This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21 sed sic vivant, ut in usus universæ multitudinis ligna cædant, aquasque comportent. Quibus hæc loquentibus,
And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 vocavit Gabaonitas Josue, et dixit eis: Cur nos decipere fraude voluistis, ut diceretis: Procul valde habitamus a vobis, cum in medio nostri sitis?
And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23 itaque sub maledictione eritis, et non deficiet de stirpe vestra ligna cædens, aquasque comportans in domum Dei mei.
Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my Elohim.
24 Qui responderunt: Nuntiatum est nobis servis tuis, quod promisisset Dominus Deus tuus Moysi servo suo ut traderet vobis omnem terram, et disperderet cunctos habitatores ejus. Timuimus igitur valde, et providimus animabus nostris, vestro terrore compulsi, et hoc consilium inivimus.
And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that YHWH thy Elohim 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 Nunc autem in manu tua sumus: quod tibi bonum et rectum videtur, fac nobis.
And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26 Fecit ergo Josue ut dixerat, et liberavit eos de manu filiorum Israël, ut non occiderentur.
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27 Decrevitque in illo die eos esse in ministerio cuncti populi, et altaris Domini, cædentes ligna, et aquas comportantes, usque in præsens tempus, in loco quem Dominus elegisset.
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of YHWH, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

< Iosue 9 >