Joshua

9* And when all the kings that side of the Jordan in the highland and the lowland and all along the beach of the great sea up to the latitude of the Lebanon heard of it, the Hittites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivvites and the Jebusites, 2 they joined forces unanimously to fight Joshuaʽ and Israel. 3 And the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshuaʽ had done to Jericho and the Ghai, 4* and they acted too by trickery, and went and put on false colors, and took worn-out sackcloths for their donkeys, and worn-out skins of wine, punctured and mended with puckers, 5* and patched worn-out sandals on their feet, and worn-out cloaks on their backs, and all the bread in their provisions was dried up, gone to crumbling. 6 And they went to the camp at the Gilgal to Joshuaʽ, and said to him and to the men of Israel “We have come from a distant country: now make a treaty with us.”

7 And the men of Israel said to the Hivvites “Maybe you live in among us: how should we make a treaty with you?” 8 But they said to Joshuaʽ “We are your servants.” And Joshuaʽ said to them “Who are you, and where do you come from?” 9* And they said to him “Your servants have come from a very distant country for the fame of your God Jehovah, because we heard the report of him and all that he did in Egypt 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King ʽOg of the Bashan whose capital was ʽAshtaroth, 11 and our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us ‘Take provisions with you for the journey and go to meet them and say to them “We are your servants; now make a treaty with us.’” 12 This is our bread: we provisioned ourselves with it hot out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you, and now here it is dried up and gone to crumbling. 13 These are the skins of wine that we filled new, and here they are punctured. And these are our clothes and sandals; they are worn out with the great length of the journey.” 14 And the men took some of their provisions without having asked Jehovah’s voice. 15 And Joshuaʽ made with them a treaty of peace and security for their lives, and the princes of the congregation swore to them.

16 And at the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them they heard that they were neighbors and lived in among them. 17 And the sons of Israel marched, and came to their cities on the third day, their cities being Gibeon and the Kephirah and Beeroth and Kirjath-Jeʽarim; 18 and the sons of Israel did not kill them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Israel’s God Jehovah. And all the congregation complained against the princes; 19 but all the princes said to all the congregation “We have sworn to them by Israel’s God Jehovah, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, and spare their lives, and not have wrath upon us for the oath we swore to them. 21* Let them live and be wood-gatherer and water-carriers for all the congregation.” And all the congregation did as the princes had said for them. 22 And Joshuaʽ called them and spoke to them, saying “Why have you played this trick on us, to say ‘we are very distant from you’ when you live in among us? 23 now cursed are you, you shall never cease to furnish slaves gathering wood and carrying water for the house of my God.” 24 And they answered Joshuaʽ “Because your servants had been told what commission your God Jehovah had given his servant Moses, to give you all the country and to root out before you all the inhabitants of the country; and we were in great fear for our lives on your account, and did this thing. 25 Now here we are in your hands: do with us as you think best and fittest to.” 26 And he did so for them, and delivered them out of the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them; 27 but on that day Joshuaʽ gave them to be wood-gatherers and water-carriers for the congregation and for Jehovah’s altar, as they are to this day, at the place he was to choose.