Joshua 9

The Gibeonites Save Themselves by Trickery

9Now when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—heard of this,H4428H5676H3383H2022H8219H2348H1419H3220H4136H3844H2850H567H3669H6522H2340H2983H80852they gathered together with one accord to fight Joshua and Israel.H6908H3162H3898H3091H3478H259H63103But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,H3427H1391H8085H3091H6213H3405H58574they on their part acted with cunning: they went and prepared provisions, and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended,H6213H6195H3212H6737H3947H1087H8242H2543H3196H4997H1087H1234H68875with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their provisions were dry and moldy.H1087H5275H2921H7272H1087H8008H3899H6718H3001H53506They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the Israelites, "We have come from a far country; so now make a treaty with us."H3212H3091H4264H1537H559H376H3478H935H7350H776H3772H12857But the Israelites said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a treaty with you?"H376H3478H559H2340H194H3427H7130H3772H12858They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." And Joshua said to them, "Who are you? And where do you come from?"H559H3091H5650H3091H559H370H9359They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard a report of him, of all that he did in Egypt,H559H3966H7350H776H5650H935H8034H3068H430H8085H8089H6213H471410and of all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth.H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H4428H2809H5747H4428H1316H625211So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, 'Take provisions in your hand for the journey; go to meet them, and say to them, "We are your servants; come now, make a treaty with us."'H2205H3427H776H559H559H3947H6720H3027H1870H3212H7125H559H5650H3772H128512Here is our bread; it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and moldy;H3899H2525H6679H1004H3117H3318H3212H3001H535013these wineskins were new when we filled them, and see, they are burst; and these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey."H4997H3196H4390H2319H1234H8008H5275H1086H3966H7230H187014So the leaders partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the LORD.H582H3947H6718H7592H6310H306815And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.H3091H6213H7965H3772H1285H2421H5387H5712H765016But when three days had passed after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and were living among them.H7097H7969H3117H310H3772H1285H8085H7138H3427H713017So the Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.H1121H3478H5265H935H5892H7992H3117H5892H1391H3716H881H715718But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.H1121H3478H5221H5387H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H5712H3885H538719But all the leaders said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we must not touch them.H5387H559H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H3201H506020This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath may not come upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them."H6213H2421H7110H7621H765021The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had decided concerning them.H5387H559H2421H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H5387H169622Joshua summoned them, and said to them, "Why did you deceive us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' while in fact you are living among us?H3091H7121H1696H559H7411H559H3966H7350H3427H713023Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."H779H3772H5650H2404H6086H7579H4325H1004H43024They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; so we were in great fear for our lives because of you, and did this thing.H6030H3091H559H5046H5046H5650H3068H430H6680H5650H4872H5414H776H8045H3427H776H6440H3966H3372H5315H6440H6213H169725And now we are in your hand: do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us."H2009H3027H5869H2896H3477H6213H621326This is what he did for them: he saved them from the Israelites; and they did not kill them.H6213H5337H3027H1121H3478H202627But on that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to continue to this day, in the place that he should choose.H3091H5414H3117H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H4196H3068H3117H4725H977