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.
