The Deceit of the Gibeonites

1And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard of it, 2they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

3And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai. 4And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and rent and patched bottles of wine, 5and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them - and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt. 6And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us. 7And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure thou dwellest amongst us; and how should I make a covenant with thee? 8And they said to Joshua, We are thy servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are ye, and whence have ye come? 9And they said, Thy servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt, 10and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who dwelt in Astaroth and in Edrain. 11And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and ye shall say to them, We are thy servants, and now make a covenant with us. 12These are the loaves - we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy. 13And these are the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are rent; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey. 14And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not counsel of the Lord. 15And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

16And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they dwelt among them. 17And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities were Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin. 18Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes. 19And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them. 20This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them. 21They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us? 23And now ye are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God. 24And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord thy God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that dwelt on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and therefore we did this thing. 25And now, behold, we are in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems good to you. 26Land they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them. 27And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.