1 ¶ And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the mountains and in the valleys and in all the coast of the great sea over against Lebanon, heard these things, the Hittites and the Amorites the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites

When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it

2 g athered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

3 ¶ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

4 t hey worked with prudence 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,

they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wine skins,

5 a nd old patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.

6 T hus they came unto Joshua to the camp at Gilgal and said unto him and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country; now, therefore, make ye a covenant with us.

They went to Joshua at the camp 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.”

7 A nd the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us, and how shall we make a covenant with you?

The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant with you?”

8 A nd they said unto Joshua, We are thy slaves. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you and where do you come from?

They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

9 A nd they said unto him, From very far lands thy slaves 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

They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,

10 a nd all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side of the Jordan, and to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and to Og, king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

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.

11 T herefore, our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provision with you for the journey and go to meet them and say unto them, We are your slaves; therefore, now make ye a covenant with us.

Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’

12 T his our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to come unto you, but now, behold, it is dry and mouldy.

This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy.

13 T hese bottles of wine, we also filled new, and, behold, they are rent, and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

These wine skins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.”

14 A nd the men of Israel took of their provision and did not ask counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth.

15 ¶ And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; also the princes of the congregation swore unto them.

Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.

16 A t the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard how they were their neighbours and that they dwelt among them.

At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.

17 A nd the sons of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kirjathjearim.

The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

18 A nd the sons of Israel did not smite them because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.

19 B ut all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, now we may not touch them.

But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them.

20 T his we will do to them; we will let them live lest wrath come upon us because of the oath which we swore unto them.

We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”

21 A nd 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 said unto them.

The princes said to them, “Let them live, so they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.”

22 ¶ And Joshua called for them, and spoke unto them saying, Why have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you, when ye dwell among us?

Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us?

23 N ow, therefore, ye are cursed, and ye shall always be slaves and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.”

24 A nd they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told thy slaves how the LORD thy God commanded his slave Moses that he was to give you the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore, we feared greatly of our lives because of you and have done this thing.

They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your 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 very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

25 A nd now, behold, we are in thy hand; as it seems good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”

26 A nd so did he unto them; he delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not slay them.

He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them.

27 A nd Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which he should choose; which they are even unto this day.

That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh to this day, in the place which he should choose.