1 A nd it cometh to pass, when all the kings who beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the great sea, over-against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear --

When all the kings beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland and all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites heard this,

2 t hat they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel -- one mouth.

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

3 A nd the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai,

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

4 a nd they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,

They worked cunningly, and went pretending to be ambassadors and took old sacks on their donkeys and wineskins, old, torn, and mended,

5 a nd sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry -- it was crumbs.

And old and patched shoes on their feet and wearing old garments; and all their supply of food was dry and moldy.

6 A nd they go unto Joshua, unto the camp at Gilgal, and say unto him, and unto the men of Israel, `From a land far off we have come, and now, make with us a covenant;'

And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, We have come from a far country; so now, make a covenant with us.

7 a nd the men of Israel say unto the Hivite, `It may be in our midst ye are dwelling, and how do we make with thee a covenant?'

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you live among us; how then can we make a covenant with you?

8 a nd they say unto Joshua, `Thy servants we.' And Joshua saith unto them, `Who ye? and whence come ye?'

They said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? From where have you come?

9 A nd they say unto him, `From a land very far off have thy servants come, for the name of Jehovah thy God, for we have heard His fame, and all that He hath done in Egypt,

They said to him, From a very far country your servants have come because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard the fame of Him, and all that He did in Egypt,

10 a nd all that He hath done to the two kings of the Amorite who beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who in 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 lived in Ashtaroth.

11 ` And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us, saying, Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we, and now, make with us a covenant;

So our elders and all the residents of our country said to us, Take provisions for the journey and go to meet and say to them, We are your servants; and now make a covenant with us.

12 t his our bread -- hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry, and hath been crumbs;

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

13 a nd these the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and lo, they have rent; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.'

These wineskins (bottles) which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.

14 A nd the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;

So the men partook of their food and did not consult the Lord.

15 a nd Joshua maketh with them peace, and maketh with them a covenant, to keep them alive; and swear to them do the princes of the company.

Joshua made peace with them, covenanting with them to let them live, and the assembly’s leaders swore to them.

16 A nd it cometh to pass, at the end of three days after that they have made with them a covenant, that they hear that they their neighbours -- that in their midst they are dwelling.

Then three days after they had made a covenant with heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.

17 A nd the sons of Israel journey and come in unto their cities on the third day -- and their cities Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim --

And the Israelites set out 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 have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel, and all the company murmur against the princes.

But the Israelites did not slay them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel,. And all the assembly murmured against the leaders.

19 A nd all the princes say unto all the company, `We -- we have sworn to them by Jehovah, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them;

But all the leaders said to all the assembly, We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so now we may not touch them.

20 t his we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.'

This we will do to them: we will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.

21 A nd the princes say unto them, `They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company, as the princes spake to them.'

And the leaders said to them, Let them live. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly, just as the leaders had said of them.

22 A nd Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, `Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling?

Joshua called the men and said, Why did you deceive us, saying, We live very far from you, when you dwell among us?

23 a nd now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God.'

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

24 A nd they answer Joshua and say, `Because it was certainly declared to thy servants, that Jehovah thy God commanded Moses His servant to give to you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;

They answered Joshua, Because it was surely told your servants that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the land’s inhabitants from before you. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

25 a nd now, lo, we in thy hand, as good, and as right in thine eyes to do to us -- do.'

And now, behold, we are in your hand; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.

26 A nd he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them;

So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.

27 a nd Joshua maketh them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the company, and for the altar of Jehovah, unto this day, at the place which He doth choose.

But Joshua then made them 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 should choose.