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.