The Deceit of the Gibeonites
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.
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. 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. 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 Kirjathjearim. 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. 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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
1 It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it 2 that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up, 5 and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. 6 They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.” 7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant with you?” 8 They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt, 10 and 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 was at Ashtaroth. 11 Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy. 13 These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.” 14 The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from the mouth of Yahweh. 15 Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.
16 It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17 The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21 The princes said to them, “Let them live, so they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.”
22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your 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 very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.” 26 He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them. 27 That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
1 Now when news of this reached all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the foothills, a and all along the coast of the Great Sea b toward Lebanon (the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)— 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 But the people of Gibeon, having heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 acted deceptively and set out as envoys, c carrying on their donkeys worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy. 6 They 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 treaty d with us.”
7 But 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, 10 and 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. 11 So 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.’
12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But take a look, it is now dry and moldy. 13 These 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.”
14 Then the men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not seek the counsel of the LORD. 15 And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16 Three days after they had made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites learned that they were neighbors, living among them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But 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.
19 All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This 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.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.
22 Then 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? 23 Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24 The 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. 25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”
26 So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. 27 On 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.
Footnotes:
1 a Hebrew Shephelah or lowlands ; that is, the western foothills of Judea
1 b That is, the Mediterranean Sea
4 c Or set out with provisions
6 d Forms of the Hebrew berit are translated in most passages as covenant ; also in verses 7, 11, 15, and 16.
The Deceit of the Gibeonites
1And it cometh to pass, when all the kings who are beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the great sea, over-against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, hear -- 2that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua, and with Israel -- one mouth.
3And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai, 4and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses, and wine-bottles, old, and rent, and bound up, 5and sandals, old and patched, on their feet, and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry -- it was crumbs. 6And they go unto Joshua, unto the camp at Gilgal, and say unto him, and unto the men of Israel, 'From a land far off we have come, and now, make with us a covenant;' 7and the men of Israel say unto the Hivite, 'It may be in our midst ye are dwelling, and how do we make with thee a covenant?' 8and they say unto Joshua, 'Thy servants we are.' And Joshua saith unto them, 'Who are ye? and whence come ye?' 9And they say unto him, 'From a land very far off have thy servants come, for the name of Jehovah thy God, for we have heard His fame, and all that He hath done in Egypt, 10and all that He hath done to the two kings of the Amorite who are beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who is in Ashtaroth. 11And our elders, and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us, saying, Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we are, and now, make with us a covenant; 12this our bread -- hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses, on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry, and hath been crumbs; 13and these are the wine-bottles which we filled, new, and lo, they have rent; and these, our garments and our sandals, have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way.' 14And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked; 15and Joshua maketh with them peace, and maketh with them a covenant, to keep them alive; and swear to them do the princes of the company.
16And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days after that they have made with them a covenant, that they hear that they are their neighbours -- that in their midst they are dwelling. 17And the sons of Israel journey and come in unto their cities on the third day -- and their cities are Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim -- 18and the sons of Israel have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel, and all the company murmur against the princes. 19And all the princes say unto all the company, 'We -- we have sworn to them by Jehovah, God of Israel; and now, we are not able to come against them; 20this we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.' 21And the princes say unto them, 'They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company, as the princes spake to them.'
22And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, 'Why have ye deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling? 23and now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off from being a servant, even hewers of wood and drawers of water, for the house of my God.' 24And they answer Joshua and say, 'Because it was certainly declared to thy servants, that Jehovah thy God commanded Moses His servant to give to you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing; 25and now, lo, we are in thy hand, as it is good, and as it is right in thine eyes to do to us -- do.' 26And he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel, and they have not slain them; 27and Joshua maketh them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the company, and for the altar of Jehovah, unto this day, at the place which He doth choose.
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