Joshua 9:3-27

VIN^{(i) 3} But when the Inhabiters of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho, and Ai, ⁴ And they acted slyly, and they went and acted like envoys, and took old sacks for their asses, and old wineskins, even torn and bound up; ⁵ and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. ⁶ They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel: "We come from a distant country, make a treaty with us." ⁷ The men of Israel said to the Hivites: "Perhaps you live near us. How can we make a treaty with you?" ⁸ They said: "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 the LORD 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 beyond Jordan, Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan which dwelt at Ashtaroth. ¹¹ And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them. Say to them, We are your servants. And now make a treaty with us. ¹² These loaves we took hot for our journey, on the day we set out to come to you; but now they are dry, and become mouldy; ¹³ And these wineskins were new when we filled them, but look now they're cracked. And our clothes and sandals are worn out from our very long journey." ¹⁴ The men sampled their provisions but did not ask for counsel from the LORD. ¹⁵ Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live. the leaders of the congregation ratified it by an oath. ¹⁶ But three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and were living in their midst. ¹⁷ And the Israelites set out and went to their cities on the third day (their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim). ¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against their leaders. ¹⁹ But all the leaders of the congregation said, "We have sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel, and so we cannot touch them. ²⁰ This we will do to them: we will let them live so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them." ²¹ They shall live, and shall be woodcutters and water carriers to all the congregation, as the princes said to them. ²² And Joshua summoned them and said, "Why have you deceived us saying, 'We are very far from you' when you are living among us? ²³ Therefore you are cursed; some of you will always be slaves as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God." ²⁴ They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how 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 afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. ²⁵ And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you. ²⁶ Joshua saved them from the children of israel. they did not kill them. ²⁷ And on that day Joshua made them woodcutters, and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD at the place which He should choose, to this day.