“1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which [were] on this side
Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the
great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the
Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard [thereof];
2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with
Israel, with one accord.”
“3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work wilily, 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 And old shoes and clouted upon
their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their
provision was dry [and] mouldy. 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp
at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from
a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 7 And the men of
Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how
shall we make a league with you? 8 And they said unto Joshua, We [are]
thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who [are] ye? and from whence
come ye? 9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants
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 And all that he did to the
two kings of the Amorites, that [were] beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of
Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which [was] at Ashtaroth. 11
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us,
saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and
say unto them, We [are] your servants: therefore now make ye a league
with us. 12 This our bread we took hot [for] our provision out of our
houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is
dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled,
[were] new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our
shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. 14 And the men
took of their victuals, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of the
LORD.”
“15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to
let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. 16
And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a
league with them, that they heard that they [were] their neighbours, and
[that] they dwelt among them. 17 And the children of Israel journeyed,
and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were]
Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. 18 And the
children of Israel smote them not, 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 But all the princes said
unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of
Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them;
we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath
which we sware unto them. 21 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 promised them.”
“22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying,
Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We [are] very far from you; when
ye dwell among us? 23 Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall
none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers
of water for the house of my God. 24 And they answered Joshua, and said,
Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy 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 sore
afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 And
now, behold, we [are] in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto
thee to do unto us, do. 26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them
out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for
the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in
the place which he should choose.” (Joshua 9:1-27 AV)
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