Joshua 9
9WHEN ALL the kings beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland and all along the coast of the Great [Mediterranean] Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites heard this,H4428H5676H3383H2022H8219H2348H1419H3220H4136H3844H2850H567H3669H6522H2340H2983H80852They gathered together with one accord to fight Joshua and Israel.H6908H3162H3898H3091H3478H259H63103But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,H3427H1391H8085H3091H6213H3405H58574They worked cunningly, and went pretending to be ambassadors and took [provisions and] old sacks on their donkeys and wineskins, old, torn, and mended,H6213H6195H3212H6737H3947H1087H8242H2543H3196H4997H1087H1234H68875And old and patched shoes on their feet and wearing old garments; and all their supply of food was dry and moldy.H1087H5275H2921H7272H1087H8008H3899H6718H3001H53506And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, We have come from a far country; so now, make a covenant with us.H3212H3091H4264H1537H559H376H3478H935H7350H776H3772H12857But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you live among us; how then can we make a covenant with you?H376H3478H559H2340H194H3427H7130H3772H12858They said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? From where have you come?H559H3091H5650H3091H559H370H9359They said to him, From a very far country your servants have come because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard the fame of Him, and all that He did in Egypt,H559H3966H7350H776H5650H935H8034H3068H430H8085H8089H6213H471410And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.H6213H8147H4428H567H5676H3383H5511H4428H2809H5747H4428H1316H625211So our elders and all the residents of our country said to us, Take provisions for the journey and go to meet [the Israelites] and say to them, We are your servants; and now make a covenant with us.H2205H3427H776H559H559H3947H6720H3027H1870H3212H7125H559H5650H3772H128512This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we set out to go to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become moldy.H3899H2525H6679H1004H3117H3318H3212H3001H535013These wineskins (bottles) which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.H4997H3196H4390H2319H1234H8008H5275H1086H3966H7230H187014So the [Israelite] men partook of their food and did not consult the Lord.H582H3947H6718H7592H6310H306815Joshua made peace with them, covenanting with them to let them live, and the assembly's leaders swore to them.H3091H6213H7965H3772H1285H2421H5387H5712H765016Then three days after they had made a covenant with [the strangers, the Israelites] heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.H7097H7969H3117H310H3772H1285H8085H7138H3427H713017And the Israelites set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.H1121H3478H5265H935H5892H7992H3117H5892H1391H3716H881H715718But the Israelites did not slay them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, [to spare them]. And all the assembly murmured against the leaders.H1121H3478H5221H5387H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H5712H3885H538719But all the leaders said to all the assembly, We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so now we may not touch them.H5387H559H5712H7650H3068H430H3478H3201H506020This we will do to them: we will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.H6213H2421H7110H7621H765021And the leaders said to them, Let them live [and be our slaves]. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly, just as the leaders had said of them.H5387H559H2421H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H5387H169622Joshua called the men and said, Why did you deceive us, saying, We live very far from you, when you dwell among us?H3091H7121H1696H559H7411H559H3966H7350H3427H713023Now therefore you are cursed, and of you there shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.H779H3772H5650H2404H6086H7579H4325H1004H43024They answered Joshua, Because it was surely told your servants that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the land's inhabitants from before you. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.H6030H3091H559H5046H5046H5650H3068H430H6680H5650H4872H5414H776H8045H3427H776H6440H3966H3372H5315H6440H6213H169725And now, behold, we are in your hand; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.H2009H3027H5869H2896H3477H6213H621326So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.H6213H5337H3027H1121H3478H202627But Joshua then made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He should choose.H3091H5414H3117H2404H6086H7579H4325H5712H4196H3068H3117H4725H977
Columbus, OH
