Joshua 9

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;

1Kings all over the land heard what had happened. They lived in the hills, the low valleys, and by the sea. They were Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

2That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

2All these kings agreed to work together. They planned to fight Joshua and Israel.

3And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

3The people who lived in Gibeon heard the news too. They heard what Joshua did to the cities of Jericho and 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;

4So they made a clever plan to trick Israel. They pretended to be messengers from far away. They loaded old worn-out sacks on their donkeys. They took old wine bags that were cracked and patched.

Note"Wine bottles" in the old wording means bags made from animal skin. People carried wine and water in them, not in glass bottles.

5And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

5They put old patched sandals on their feet. They wore old ragged clothes. All their bread was dry and covered with mold.

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.

6They came to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal. They said to Joshua and the men of Israel, "We came from a country far away. Please make a peace agreement 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?

7The men of Israel said to these Hivites, "Maybe you really live nearby. Then how could we make an agreement with you?"

8And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

8They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua asked them, "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

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,

9They said, "Your servants came from a land very far away. We came because of the name of the LORD your God. We heard reports about him and all 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.

10"We heard what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. Those kings were Sihon of Heshbon and Og of Bashan, who ruled 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.

11"So our leaders and all our people told us this. They said, 'Take food for the trip. Go and meet them. Tell them we are their servants. Ask them to make an agreement 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:

12"Look at our bread. It was still warm when we packed it at home. That was the day we left to come to you. Now it is dry and moldy.

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.

13"These wine bags were new when we filled them. Now look, they are cracked. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long trip."

14And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

14The men of Israel tasted some of their food. But they did not ask the LORD what to do.

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.

15So Joshua made peace with them. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of Israel made a solemn promise to 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.

16Three days after the promise, Israel learned the truth. These people were neighbors who lived close by.

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.

17So the Israelites traveled and reached their cities on the third day. The cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

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.

18The Israelites did not attack them. Their leaders had made a promise in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. All the people complained about their leaders.

Note"Murmured" means grumbled or complained.

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.

19But the leaders said to everyone, "We made a promise to them. We used the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. So we cannot harm them now.

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.

20"Here is what we will do. We will let them live. If we break our promise, God's anger will come on us."

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.

21The leaders said, "Let them live. But they will cut wood and carry water for everyone." So the leaders kept their promise.

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?

22Then Joshua called the Gibeonites in. He said, "Why did you trick us? You said you lived far away. But you live right here 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.

23"So now you are under a curse. From now on you will always be servants. You will cut wood and carry 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.

24They answered Joshua, "We were clearly told something. The LORD your God told his servant Moses to give you this whole land. He told Moses to destroy everyone living here. So we were very afraid you would kill us. That is why we did this.

25And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

25"Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right."

26And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

26So Joshua did that for them. He saved them from the Israelites, and no one killed them.

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.

27That day Joshua made them wood cutters and water carriers. They worked for the people and for the altar of the LORD. They still do this today, at the place God would choose.

NoteThe altar was the special table where gifts were offered to God. It needed lots of wood and water, so these workers were needed there.