The Deceit of the Gibeonites

1And it came to pass, when all the kings who were on this side of Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it;

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 craftily, and went and made as if they were ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine skins, old, and torn, and mended;

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

6And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country: now therefore make you a covenant with us.

7And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Perhaps you dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?

8And they said unto Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are you? and from where do you come?

9And they said unto 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,

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, who was at Ashtaroth.

11Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make you a covenant 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 moldy:

13And these skins of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they are torn: and these our garments and our shoes have become old by reason of the very long journey.

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

15And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

16And it came to pass 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 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 Kiriathjearim.

18And the children of Israel struck them not, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the leaders.

19But all the leaders 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 come upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.

21And the leaders said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the leaders had promised them.

22And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?

23Now therefore you are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being slaves, 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 your servants, how that the LORD 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 much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

25And now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seems good and right unto you 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.