1 N ow it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it,

¶ 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

2 t hat they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

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

3 W hen the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

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

4 t hey also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended,

they 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,

5 a nd 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.

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

6 T hey went to Joshua to 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.”

Thus 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.

7 T he men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you are living within our land; how then shall we make a covenant with you?”

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

8 B ut they said to Joshua, “ We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

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

9 T hey said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt,

And 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

10 a nd 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.

and 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.

11 S o 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, “ We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’

Therefore, 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.

12 T his 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.

This 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.

13 T hese 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.”

These 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.

14 S o the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord.

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

15 J oshua 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.

¶ 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.

16 I t 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 within their land.

At 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.

17 T hen the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

And 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.

18 T he 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.

And 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.

19 B ut 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.

But 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.

20 T his 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.”

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

21 T he leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

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 said unto them.

22 T hen Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you are living within our land?

¶ 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?

23 N ow therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.”

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

24 S o they answered Joshua and said, “ Because 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.

And 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.

25 N ow behold, we are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.”

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

26 T hus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them.

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

27 B ut 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, in the place which He would choose.

And 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.