1. 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. That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua
and with Israel, with one accord.
3. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had
done unto Jericho and to Ai,
4. 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. 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. 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. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye
dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8. And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua
said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9. And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants
are 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,
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, which was at Ashtaroth.
11. 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. 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. 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. And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at
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
sware unto 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.
17. 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 Kirjathjearim.
18. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the
princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD
God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the
princes.
19. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have
sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now 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 sware unto
them.
21. 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. 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. 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 God.
24. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly
told thy servants, how that 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done
this thing.
25. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good
and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
26. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand
of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
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 unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
