1
And it came to pass, when all the kings[H4428] which were on this side[H5676]Jordan[H3383], in the hills[H2022], and in the valleys[H8219], and in all the coasts[H2348] of the great[H1419]sea[H3220] over against[H4136]Lebanon[H3844], the Hittite[H2850], and the Amorite[H567], the Canaanite[H3669], the Perizzite[H6522], the Hivite[H2340], and the Jebusite[H2983], heard[H8085] thereof;
2
That they gathered[H6908] themselves together[H3162], to fight[H3898] with Joshua[H3091] and with Israel[H3478], with one[H259]accord[H6310].
3
And when the inhabitants[H3427] of Gibeon[H1391]heard[H8085] what Joshua[H3091] had done[H6213] unto Jericho[H3405] and to Ai[H5857],
4
They did work[H6213]wilily[H6195], and went[H3212] and made as if they had been ambassadors[H6737], and took[H3947]old[H1087]sacks[H8242] upon their asses[H2543], and wine[H3196]bottles[H4997], old[H1087], and rent[H1234], and bound up[H6887];
5
And old[H1087]shoes[H5275] and clouted[H2921] upon their feet[H7272], and old[H1087]garments[H8008] upon them; and all the bread[H3899] of their provision[H6718] was dry[H3001] and mouldy[H5350].
6
And they went[H3212] to Joshua[H3091] unto the camp[H4264] at Gilgal[H1537], and said[H559] unto him, and to the men[H376] of Israel[H3478], We be come[H935] from a far[H7350]country[H776]: now therefore make[H3772] ye a league[H1285] with us.
7
And the men[H376] of Israel[H3478]said[H559] unto the Hivites[H2340], Peradventure[H194] ye dwell[H3427]among[H7130] us; and how shall we make[H3772] a league[H1285] with you?
8
And they said[H559] unto Joshua[H3091], We are thy servants[H5650]. And Joshua[H3091]said[H559] unto them, Who are ye? and from whence[H370]come[H935] ye?
9
And they said[H559] unto him, From a very[H3966]far[H7350]country[H776] thy servants[H5650] are come[H935] because of the name[H8034] of the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]: for we have heard[H8085] the fame[H8089] of him, and all that he did[H6213] in Egypt[H4714],
10
And all that he did[H6213] to the two[H8147]kings[H4428] of the Amorites[H567], that were beyond[H5676]Jordan[H3383], to Sihon[H5511]king[H4428] of Heshbon[H2809], and to Og[H5747]king[H4428] of Bashan[H1316], which was at Ashtaroth[H6252].
11
Wherefore our elders[H2205] and all the inhabitants[H3427] of our country[H776]spake[H559] to us, saying[H559], Take[H3947]victuals[H6720] with you[H3027] for the journey[H1870], and go[H3212] to meet[H7125] them, and say[H559] unto them, We are your servants[H5650]: therefore now make[H3772] ye a league[H1285] with us.
12
This our bread[H3899] we took hot[H2525] for our provision[H6679] out of our houses[H1004] on the day[H3117] we came forth[H3318] to go[H3212] unto you; but now, behold, it is dry[H3001], and it is mouldy[H5350]:
13
And these bottles[H4997] of wine[H3196], which we filled[H4390], were new[H2319]; and, behold, they be rent[H1234]: and these our garments[H8008] and our shoes[H5275] are become old[H1086] by reason of the very[H3966]long[H7230]journey[H1870].
14
And the men[H582]took[H3947] of their victuals[H6718], and asked[H7592] not counsel at the mouth[H6310] of the LORD[H3068].
15
And Joshua[H3091]made[H6213]peace[H7965] with them, and made[H3772] a league[H1285] with them, to let them live[H2421]: and the princes[H5387] of the congregation[H5712]sware[H7650] unto them.
16
And it came to pass at the end[H7097] of three[H7969]days[H3117]after[H310] they had made[H3772] a league[H1285] with them, that they heard[H8085] that they were their neighbours[H7138], and that they dwelt[H3427]among[H7130] them.
17
And the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478]journeyed[H5265], and came[H935] unto their cities[H5892] on the third[H7992]day[H3117]. Now their cities[H5892] were Gibeon[H1391], and Chephirah[H3716], and Beeroth[H881], and Kirjathjearim[H7157].
18
And the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478]smote[H5221] them not, because the princes[H5387] of the congregation[H5712] had sworn[H7650] unto them by the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478]. And all the congregation[H5712]murmured[H3885] against the princes[H5387].
19
But all the princes[H5387]said[H559] unto all the congregation[H5712], We have sworn[H7650] unto them by the LORD[H3068]God[H430] of Israel[H3478]: now therefore we may[H3201] not touch[H5060] them.
20
This we will do[H6213] to them; we will even let them live[H2421], lest wrath[H7110] be upon us, because of the oath[H7621] which we sware[H7650] unto them.
21
And the princes[H5387]said[H559] unto them, Let them live[H2421]; but let them be hewers[H2404] of wood[H6086] and drawers[H7579] of water[H4325] unto all the congregation[H5712]; as the princes[H5387] had promised[H1696] them.
22
And Joshua[H3091]called[H7121] for them, and he spake[H1696] unto them, saying[H559], Wherefore have ye beguiled[H7411] us, saying[H559], We are very[H3966]far[H7350] from you; when ye dwell[H3427]among[H7130] us?
23
Now therefore ye are cursed[H779], and there shall none of you be freed[H3772] from being bondmen[H5650], and hewers[H2404] of wood[H6086] and drawers[H7579] of water[H4325] for the house[H1004] of my God[H430].
24
And they answered[H6030]Joshua[H3091], and said[H559], Because[H6440] it was certainly[H5046]told[H5046] thy servants[H5650], how that the LORD[H3068] thy God[H430]commanded[H6680] his servant[H5650]Moses[H4872] to give[H5414] you all the land[H776], and to destroy[H8045] all the inhabitants[H3427] of the land[H776] from before[H6440] you, therefore we were sore[H3966]afraid[H3372] of our lives[H5315]because[H6440] of you, and have done[H6213] this thing[H1697].
25
And now, behold, we[H2009] are in thine hand[H3027]: as it seemeth[H5869]good[H2896] and right[H3477] unto thee to do[H6213] unto us, do[H6213].
26
And so did[H6213] he unto them, and delivered[H5337] them out of the hand[H3027] of the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], that they slew[H2026] them not.
27
And Joshua[H3091]made[H5414] them that day[H3117]hewers[H2404] of wood[H6086] and drawers[H7579] of water[H4325] for the congregation[H5712], and for the altar[H4196] of the LORD[H3068], even unto this day[H3117], in the place[H4725] which he should choose[H977].