Joshua 9
9The victories of Israel became known to all the kings west of the Jordan - in the hills, in the foothills, and all along the coastal plain of the Mediterranean Sea as far north as Lebanon; these were the kings of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.H4428H5676H3383H2022H8219H2348H1419H3220H4136H3844H2850H567H3669H6522H2340H2983H80852They all came together and joined forces to fight against Joshua and the Israelites.H6908H3162H3898H3091H3478H259H63103But the people of Gibeon, who were Hivites, heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,H3427H1391H8085H3091H6213H3405H58574and they decided to deceive him. They went and got some food and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins.H6213H6195H3212H6737H3947H1087H8242H2543H3196H4997H1087H1234H68875They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. The bread they took with them was dry and moldy.H1087H5275H2921H7272H1087H8008H3899H6718H3001H53506Then they went to the camp at Gilgal and said to Joshua and the Israelites, "We have come from a distant land. We want you to make a treaty with us."H3212H3091H4264H1537H559H376H3478H935H7350H776H3772H12857But the Israelites said, "Why should we make a treaty with you? Maybe you live nearby."H376H3478H559H2340H194H3427H7130H3772H12858They said to Joshua, "We are at your service." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"H559H3091H5650H3091H559H370H9359Then they told him this story: "We have come from a very distant land, sir, because we have heard of the LORD your God. We have heard about everything that he did in EgyptH559H3966H7350H776H5650H935H8034H3068H430H8085H8089H6213H471410and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan: King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H4428H2809H5747H4428H1316H625211Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us.H2205H3427H776H559H559H3947H6720H3027H1870H3212H7125H559H5650H3772H128512Look at our bread. When we left home with it and started out to meet you, it was still warm. But look! Now it is dry and moldy.H3899H2525H6679H1004H3117H3318H3212H3001H535013When we filled these wineskins, they were new, but look! They are torn. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long trip."H4997H3196H4390H2319H1234H8008H5275H1086H3966H7230H187014The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the LORD about it.H582H3947H6718H7592H6310H306815Joshua made a treaty of friendship with the people of Gibeon and allowed them to live. The leaders of the community of Israel gave their solemn promise to keep the treaty.H3091H6213H7965H3772H1285H2421H5387H5712H765016Three days after the treaty had been made, the Israelites learned that these people did indeed live nearby.H7097H7969H3117H310H3772H1285H8085H7138H3427H713017So the people of Israel started out and three days later arrived at the cities where these people lived: Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.H1121H3478H5265H935H5892H7992H3117H5892H1391H3716H881H715718But the Israelites could not kill them, because their leaders had made a solemn promise to them in the name of the LORD, Israel's God. All the people complained to the leaders about this,H1121H3478H5221H5387H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H5712H3885H538719but they answered, "We have made our solemn promise to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. Now we cannot harm them.H5387H559H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H3201H506020We must let them live because of our promise; if we don't, God will punish us.H6213H2421H7110H7621H765021Let them live, but they will have to cut wood and carry water for us." This was what the leaders suggested.H5387H559H2421H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H5387H169622Joshua ordered the people of Gibeon to be brought to him, and he asked them, "Why did you deceive us and tell us that you were from far away, when you live right here?H3091H7121H1696H559H7411H559H3966H7350H3427H713023Because you did this, God has condemned you. Your people will always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the sanctuary of my God."H779H3772H5650H2404H6086H7579H4325H1004H43024They answered, "We did it, sir, because we learned that it was really true that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to kill the people living in it as you advanced. We did it because we were terrified of you; we were in fear of our lives.H6030H3091H559H5046H5046H5650H3068H430H6680H5650H4872H5414H776H8045H3427H776H6440H3966H3372H5315H6440H6213H169725Now we are in your power; do with us what you think is right."H2009H3027H5869H2896H3477H6213H621326So this is what Joshua did: he protected them and did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.H6213H5337H3027H1121H3478H202627But at the same time he made them slaves, to cut wood and carry water for the people of Israel and for the LORD's altar. To this day they have continued to do this work in the place where the LORD has chosen to be worshiped.H3091H5414H3117H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H4196H3068H3117H4725H977
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