Joshua 9

And it happened, when all of the kings heard who {were} on the other side of the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowlands and in all of the coast of the Great Sea toward the front of Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

that they gathered themselves together as one mouth to fight against Joshua and against Israel. \*

But the dwellers of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.

And they acted, they also, with cunning. And they went and acted as envoys and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys and worn-out and torn and mended skins of wine,

and worn-out and patched sandals {were} on their feet, and worn-out garments {were} on them, and all of the bread of their provisions was dry, it had become crumbs. \*

And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and they said to him and to a man of Israel, “We have come from a distant land, and now, cut a covenant with us.”

And a man of Israel said to the Hivite, “Perhaps you {are} dwelling among us. Then how can I cut a covenant with you?”

And they said to Joshua, “We {are} your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where have you come from?” \*

And they said to him, “Your servants have come from a very distant land because of the name of God your God. For we have heard a report of him and all that he did in Egypt

and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorite who were on the other side of the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon and to Og the king of Bashan who {was} in Ashtaroth. \*

And our elders and all the dwellers of our land spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the road and go to meet them. And you shall say to them, “We are your servants. And now, cut a covenant for us.”’

This bread of ours, we took it as provision hot from our houses on the day of our going out to come to you. And now, behold, it is dry and has become crumbs.

And these skins of wine that we filled {were} new, and behold, they have broken open. And these garments of ours and sandals of ours are worn-out from the very great length of the road.” \*

And the men took from their provisions, but they did not ask the mouth of God.

And Joshua made peace with them, and he cut a covenant with them to let them live. And the leaders of the congregation swore to them. \*

And it happened at the end of three days, after when they had cut a covenant with them, that they heard that they {were} near to them and they {were} dwelling among them.

And the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities {were} Gibeon and Kephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. \*

And the sons of Israel did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by God, the God of Israel. And all of the congregation murmured against the leaders.

But all of the leaders said to all of the congregation, “We, we have sworn to them by God the God of Israel, so now we are not able to touch them. \*

We will do this to them and let them live so wrath will not be on us because of the oath that we swore to them.”

Then the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all of the congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them. \*

And Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We {are} very far from you,’ but you {are} dwelling among us?

And now you are cursed, and none of you shall be cut off a slave and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” \*

And they answered Joshua and said, “Because declaring, it was declared to your servants that God your God commanded Moses his servant to give all of the land to you and to destroy all of the dwellers of the land from your faces. And we were very afraid for our lives from your faces, so we did this thing.

And now, behold us, in your hand. Do to us as {is} good and as {is} right in your eyes to do.” \*

And he did thus to them. And he delivered them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they did not slay them.

But on that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of God, to this day, in the place that he would choose. \*