Now it came about when aall
the kings
who
were beyond
the Jordan
, in the hill
country
and in the lowland
and on all
the bcoast
of the Great
Sea
toward
Lebanon
, cthe Hittite
and the Amorite
, the Canaanite
, the Perizzite
, the Hivite
and the Jebusite
, heard
of it,
that they gathered themselves together
with 1 aone
accord
to fight
with Joshua
and with Israel
.
When the inhabitants of aGibeon
heard
what
Joshua
had done
to Jericho
and to Ai
,
they also acted
craftily
and 1set
out as envoys
, and took
worn-out
sacks
on their donkeys
, and wineskins
worn-out
and torn
and 2mended
,
and worn-out and patched
sandals
on their feet
, and worn-out
clothes
on themselves; and all
the bread
of their provision
was dry
and had become
crumbled
.
They went to Joshua
to the acamp
at Gilgal
and said
to him and to the men
of Israel
, "We have come
from a far
country
; now
therefore, make
a covenant
with us."
The men of Israel
said
to the aHivites
, "Perhaps
you are living
1within
our land
; bhow
then shall we make
a covenant
with you?"
But they said to Joshua
, " aWe are your servants
." Then Joshua
said
to them, "Who
are you and where
do you come
from?"
They said to him, "Your servants
have come
from aa very
far
country
because of the 1fame
of the LORD
your God
; for bwe have heard
the report
of Him and all
that He did
in Egypt
,
and all that He did
to the two
kings
of the Amorites
who
were beyond
the Jordan
, to Sihon
king
of Heshbon
and to Og
king
of Bashan
who
was at Ashtaroth
.
"So our elders and all
the inhabitants
of our country
spoke
to us, saying
, `Take
provisions
in your hand
for the journey
, and go
to meet
them and say
to them, " aWe are your servants
; now
then, make
a covenant
with us."'
"This our bread
was warm
when we took
it for our provisions
out of our houses
on the day
that we left
to come
to you; but now
behold
, it is dry
and has become
crumbled
.
"These wineskins
which
we filled
were new
, and behold
, they are torn
; and these
our clothes
and our sandals
are worn
out because
of the very
long
journey
."
So the men of Israel took
some
of their provisions
, and adid not ask
for the 1counsel
of the LORD
.
aJoshua made
peace
with them and made
a covenant
with them, to let them live
; and the leaders
of the congregation
swore
an oath to them.
It came about at the end
of three
days
after
they had made
a covenant
with them, that they heard
that they were neighbors
and that they were living
1within
their land
.
Then the sons of Israel
set
out and came
to their cities
on the third
day
. Now their cities
were aGibeon
and Chephirah
and Beeroth
and Kiriath-jearim
.
The sons of Israel
did not strike
them because
the leaders
of the congregation
had sworn
to them by the LORD
the God
of Israel
. And the whole
congregation
grumbled
against
the leaders
.
But all the leaders
said
to the whole
congregation
, "We have sworn
to them by the LORD
, the God
of Israel
, and now
we cannot
touch
them.
"This we will do
to them, even let them live
, so
that wrath
will not be upon us for the oath
which
we swore
to them."
The leaders said
to them, "Let them live
." So they became
ahewers
of wood
and drawers
of water
for the whole
congregation
, just
as the leaders
had spoken
to them.
Then Joshua called
for them and spoke
to them, saying
, "Why
have you deceived
us, saying
, `We are very
far
from you,' awhen you are living
1within
our land
?
"Now therefore, you are acursed
, and 1you shall never
cease
being slaves
, both hewers
of wood
and drawers
of water
for the house
of my God
."
So they answered Joshua
and said
, " aBecause
it was certainly
told
your servants
that the LORD
your God
had commanded
His servant
Moses
to give
you all
the land
, and to destroy
all
the inhabitants
of the land
before
you; therefore we feared
greatly
for our lives
because
of you, and have done
this
thing
.
"Now behold
, awe are in your hands
; do
as it seems good
and right
in your sight
to do
to us."
Thus he did
to them, and delivered
them from the hands
of the sons
of Israel
, and they did not kill
them.
But Joshua made
them that day
hewers
of wood
and drawers
of water
for the congregation
and for the altar
of the LORD
, to this
day
, ain the place
which
He would choose
.