When all the kings west of the Jordan—those in the hill country, the lowlands, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the territory opposite Lebanon—heard about this, the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites,

And 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;

they came together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

they also acted with cunning. They disguised themselves as messengers, taking worn-out sacks for their donkeys, old and torn wineskins that had been mended.

They 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;

They wore patched and worn-out sandals and clothes, and all the bread they carried as provisions was dry and crumbled.

And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel: “We have come from a distant land; now make a treaty with us.”

And 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.

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you are living among us. How then can we make a treaty with you?”

And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

They replied to Joshua, “We are your servants.” But Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

They answered him, “Your servants have come from a very distant land because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard of His fame and all He did in Egypt,

And 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,

and all He did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

And 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.

So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions for the journey and go to meet them. Tell them: We are your servants; now make a treaty with us.’

Wherefore 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.

This bread of ours was warm when we took it as provisions from our houses on the day we set out to come to you, but now it is dry and crumbled.

This 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:

These wineskins were new when we filled them, but see how they have burst. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the very long journey.”

And 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.

The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to them.

And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

After three days, once they had made a treaty with them, the Israelites learned that these people were actually their neighbors, living among them.

And 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.

So the Israelites set out and on the third day they arrived at the cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.

And 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.

But the Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole assembly grumbled against the leaders.

And 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.

But all the leaders said to the assembly, 'We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.'

But 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.

This is what we will do to them: We will let them live so that no wrath will fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.

This 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.

They also said, 'Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire assembly,' just as the leaders had directed.

And 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.

Then Joshua summoned them and said, 'Why did you deceive us by saying, “We live far away from you,” while in fact you live among us?'

And 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?

'Now therefore, you are under a curse and will always serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.'

Now 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.

They answered Joshua, 'Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you this entire land and destroy all its inhabitants before you. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.'

And 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.

Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.

And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.

And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

On that day, Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly and for the altar of the LORD at the place He would choose. And they continue to do so to this day.

And 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.