Chapter 9

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, heard² [thereof];

That they gathered¹⁰¹ themselves together, to fight⁹ with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

And when the inhabitants⁶ of Gibeon heard¹ what Joshua had done¹ unto Jericho and to Ai,

They did work⁴ wilily, and went⁴ and made as if they had been ambassadors,¹⁰¹ and took⁴ old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent,³⁰ and bound up;³⁰

And old shoes and clouted³⁰ upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry¹ [and] mouldy.

And they went⁴ to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said⁴ unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come¹ from a far country: now therefore make³ ye a league with us.

And the men of Israel said⁴ unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell⁶ among us; and how shall we make⁴ a league with you?

And they said⁴ unto Joshua, We [are] thy servants. And Joshua said⁴ unto them, Who [are] ye? and from whence come⁴ ye?

And they said⁴ unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come¹ because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard¹ the fame of him, and all that he did¹ in Egypt,

And all that he did¹ 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.

Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants⁶ of our country spake⁴ to us, saying,² Take³ victuals with you for the journey, and go³ to meet² them, and say¹ unto them, We [are] your servants: therefore now make³ ye a league with us.

This our bread we took hot [for] our provision⁹⁸ out of our houses on the day we came forth² to go² unto you; but now, behold, it is dry,¹ and it is mouldy:

And these bottles of wine, which we filled,¹⁴ [were] new; and, behold, they be rent:⁹⁸ and these our garments and our shoes are become old¹ by reason of the very long journey.

And the men took⁴ of their victuals, and asked¹ not [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD.

And Joshua made⁴ peace with them, and made⁴ a league with them, to let them live:¹⁵ and the princes of the congregation sware¹¹ unto them.

And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made¹ a league with them, that they heard⁴ that they [were] their neighbours, and [that] they dwelt⁶ among them.

And the children of Israel journeyed,⁴ and came⁴ unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

And the children of Israel smote⁵² them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn⁸ unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured¹¹ against the princes.

But all the princes said⁴ unto all the congregation, We have sworn⁸ unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may⁴ not touch² them.

This we will do⁴ to them; we will even let them live,⁵³ lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware⁸ unto them.

And the princes said⁴ unto them, Let them live;⁴ but let them be hewers⁶ of wood and drawers⁶ of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised¹⁴ them.

And Joshua called⁴ for them, and he spake¹⁷ unto them, saying,² Wherefore have ye beguiled¹⁴ us, saying,² We [are] very far from you; when ye dwell⁶ among us?

Now therefore ye [are] cursed,⁷ and there shall none of you be freed¹¹ from being bondmen, and hewers⁶ of wood and drawers⁶ of water for the house of my God.

And they answered⁴ Joshua, and said,⁴ Because it was certainly⁹¹ told⁹⁰ thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded¹⁴ his servant Moses to give² you all the land, and to destroy⁵³ all the inhabitants⁶ of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid⁴ of our lives because of you, and have done⁴ this thing.

And now, behold, we [are] in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do² unto us, do.³

And so did⁴ he unto them, and delivered⁵⁵ them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew¹ them not.

And Joshua made⁴ them that day hewers⁶ of wood and drawers⁶ of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.⁴