Joshua 9

¹And when these things were heard, all the kings across the Jordan, who lived among the mountains and plains, along the coastline and shores of the great sea, also those who were living near Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

²gathered themselves together, so that they might fight against Joshua and Israel, with one mind and with the same resolve.

³But those who were living in Gibeon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

⁴planning cleverly, took for themselves provisions, placing old sacks upon their donkeys, and wineskins that had torn and been sewed up,

⁵and having very old shoes, which had been sewn with patches indicating their age, and being clothed in old garments, having also loaves, which they carried as food for the journey, which were hard and broken into pieces.

⁶And they traveled to Joshua, who at that time was staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him, and to all of Israel with him, “We have come from a far away land, desiring to make peace with you.” And the sons of Israel responded to them, and said,

⁷“Perhaps instead, you live in the land which ought to be ours by lot, and we would be unable to form a pact with you.”

⁸But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them: “But who are you? And where are you from?”

⁹They responded: “Your servants have arrived, from a very far away land, in the name of the Lord, your God. For we have heard about the fame of his power, all the things that he has done in Egypt,

¹⁰and to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan: Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

¹¹And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land, have said to us: ‘Take in hand provisions for the very long journey, and meet with them, and say: We are your servants; form a pact with us.’

¹²Lo, the loaves were taken up warm when we departed from our houses, so that we might come to you. Now they have become dry and broken, due to age.

¹³These wineskins were new when we filled them, now they are torn and broken. The garments we are wearing, and the shoes we have on our feet, due to the great length of the distance, have become worn and are nearly consumed.”

¹⁴And so they accepted this, because of their provisions, and they did not consult the mouth of the Lord.

¹⁵And Joshua made peace with them, and entering into a pact, he promised that they would not be put to death. The leaders of the multitude also swore to them.

¹⁶Then, three days after the pact was formed, they heard that they lived in the vicinity, and that they would soon be among them.

¹⁷And so the sons of Israel moved the camp, and they arrived at their cities on the third day, those which are called: Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

¹⁸And they did not strike them, because the leaders of the multitude had sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. And so all of the common people murmured against the leaders.

¹⁹And they responded to them: “We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, and for that reason, we are not able to touch them.

²⁰But we shall do this to them: Certainly, let them be preserved so that they may live, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, since we would have sworn falsely.

²¹But though they live, let them serve the entire multitude by cutting wood and carrying water.” And while they were discussing these things,

²²Joshua called the Gibeonites, and he said to them: “Why would you be willing to deceive us by fraud, saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ when you are in our midst?

²³Therefore, you shall be under a curse, and your stock shall not cease to be cutters of wood and carriers of water, into the house of my God.”

²⁴And they responded: “It was reported to us, your servants, that the Lord your God had promised his servant Moses that he would give you the entire land, and that he would destroy all its inhabitants. Therefore, we were very afraid, and we made a provision for our lives, compelled by the dread of you, and we undertook this counsel.

²⁵And now we are in your hand. Act toward us as it seems good and right to you.”

²⁶Therefore, Joshua did just as he had said, and he freed them from the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they would not be killed.

²⁷And he decreed on that day, that they would be in the ministry of all the people and of the altar of the Lord, cutting wood and carrying water, even until this present time, in the place which the Lord had chosen.

Joshua 9

¹Now when these things were heard of, all the kings beyond the Jordan, that dwelt in the mountains, and in the plains, in the places near the sea, and on the coasts of the great sea, they also that dwell by Libanus, the Hethite, and the Amorrhite, the Chanaanite, the Pherezite, and the Hevite, and the Jebusite,

²Gathered themselves together, to fight against Joshua and Israel with one mind, and one resolution.

³But they that dwelt in Gabaon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Hai:

⁴Cunningly devising took for themselves provisions, laying old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles rent and sewed up again,

⁵And very old shoes, which for a show of age were clouted with patches, and old garments upon them: the loaves also, which they carried for provisions by the way, were hard, and broken into pieces:

⁶And they went to Joshua, who then abode in the camp at Galgal, and said to him, and to all Israel with him: We are come from a far country, desiring to make peace with you. And the children of Israel answered them, and said:

⁷Perhaps you dwell in the land which falls to our lot; if so, we can make no league with you.

⁸But they said to Joshua: We are thy servants. Joshua said to them: Who are you? and whence came you?

⁹They answered: From a very far country thy servants are come in the name of the Lord thy God. For we have heard the fame of his power, all the things that he did in Egypt.

¹⁰And to the two kings of the Amorrhites, that were beyond the Jordan, Sehon, king of Hesebon, and Og, king of Basan, that was in Astaroth:

¹¹And our ancients, and all the inhabitants of our country, said to us: Take with you victuals for a long way, and go meet them, and say: We are your servants, make ye a league with us.

¹²Behold, these loaves we took hot, when we set out from our houses to come to you, now they are become dry, and broken in pieces by being exceeding old.

¹³These bottles of wine when we filled them were new, now they are rent and burst. These garments we have on, and the shoes we have on our feet, by reason of the very long journey, are worn out, and almost consumed.

¹⁴They took therefore of their victuals, and consulted not the mouth of the Lord.

¹⁵And Joshua made peace with them, and entering into a league, promised that they should not be slain: the princes also of the multitude swore to them.

¹⁶Now three days after the league was made, they heard that they dwelt nigh, and they should be among them.

¹⁷And the children of Israel removed the camp, and came into their cities on the third day, the names of which are, Gabaon, and Caphira, and Beroth, and Cariathiarim.

¹⁸And they slew them not, because the princes of the multitude had sworn in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the common people murmured against the princes.

¹⁹And they answered them: We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, and therefore we may not touch them.

²⁰But this we will do to them: Let their lives be saved, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, if we should be forsworn:

²¹But so let them live, as to serve the whole multitude in hewing wood, and bringing in water. As they were speaking these things,

²²Josue called the Gabaonites and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?

²³Therefore you shall be under a curse, and your race shall always be hewers of wood, and carriers of water, into the house of my God.

²⁴They answered: It was told us, thy servants, that the Lord thy God had promised his servant Moses, to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants thereof. Therefore we feared exceedingly and provided for our lives, compelled by the dread we had of you, and we took this counsel.

²⁵And now we are in thy hand: deal with us as it seemeth good and right unto thee.

²⁶So Joshua did as he had said, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, that they should not be slain.

²⁷And he gave orders in that day, that they should be in the service of all the people, and of the altar of the Lord, hewing wood, and carrying water, until this present time, in the place which the Lord hath chosen.