AB - Joshua - 9

9:1  And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of the Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Lebanon, and the Hittites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites, heard of it,

9:2  they all came together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

9:3  And the inhabitants of Gibeon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Ai.

9:4  And they also worked craftily, and they went and made provisions and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and torn wineskins,

9:5  and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals appeared old and clouted on their feet, and their garments laid upon them, and their provisions were dry and moldy and corrupt.

9:6  And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel, to Gilgal, and said to Joshua and Israel, We have come from a far land. Now then, make a covenant with us.

9:7  And the children of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you dwell amongst us; how should I make a covenant with you?

9:8  And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you, and where do you come from?

9:9  And they said, Your servants have come from a very far country in the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard His name, and all that He did in Egypt,

9:10  and all that He did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt in Ashtaroth.

9:11  And our elders, and all that inhabit our land, when they heard, they spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provisions for the way, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.

9:12  These are the loaves-we took them hot for our journey on the day in which we came out to come to you. And now they have dried up, and have become moldy.

9:13  And these are the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are torn; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.

9:14  And the chiefs took of their provisions, and asked not the counsel of the Lord.

9:15  And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation swore to them.

9:16  And it came to pass, three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were close neighbors of theirs, and that they dwelt among them.

9:17  And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and the cities of Jearim.

9:18  But the children of Israel did not fight with them, because all the princes swore to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

9:19  And the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

9:20  This we will do: take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

9:21  They shall live, and shall be woodcutters and water carriers to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

9:22  And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have you deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas you are fellow countrymen of those who dwell among us?

9:23  And now you are cursed. There shall not fail of you a slave, or a woodcutter, or a water carrier to me and my God.

9:24  And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that dwelt on it from before you, and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and therefore we did this thing.

9:25  And now, behold, we are in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems good to you.

9:26  And they did so to them. And Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.

9:27  And in that day, Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God. Therefore the inhabitants of Gibeon became woodcutters and water carriers for the altar of God to this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.