Joshua 9

1And 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;

2That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.footnote a

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

4They 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;

5And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

6And 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.

7And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

8And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

9And 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,

10And 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.

11Wherefore 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.footnote b

12This 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:

13And 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.

14And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.footnote c

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

16And 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.

17And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

18And 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.

19But 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.

20This 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.

21And 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.

22And 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?

23Now 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.footnote d

24And 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.

25And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

26And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

27And 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.footnote e

The Deceit of the Gibeonites

1Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills,footnote a and all along the coast of the Great Seafootnote b toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

3But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4acted deceptively and set out as envoys,footnote c carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. 6They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land; please make a treatyfootnote d with us.”

7But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell near us. How can we make a treaty with you?”

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

9“Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard the reports about Him: all that He did in Egypt, 10and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11So the elders and inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go to meet them and say to them: We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.’

12This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But look, it is now dry and moldy. 13These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey.”

14Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. 15And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

19All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.” 21They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? 23Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

24The Gibeonites answered, “Your servants were told clearly that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and wipe out all its inhabitants before you. So we greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we have done this. 25Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

26So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. 27On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.