THE BOOK OF
JOSHUA.
Joshua 9 ©
When all the kings of Canaan heard of Joshua’s exploits, they held counsel together, and concluded with one accord to fight against Israel, v. 1, etc. The Gibeonites, feigning that they were come from far remote countries, are saved alive by means of a certain deceitful covenant which they make with the Israelites, 3. Three days after, their craft is discovered, 16. The agreement nevertheless remains firm by reason of the oath, 18. But for a punishment of their deceit, they are made bond-men unto the Israelites, 21.
AND it came to pass, when all the kings 1which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the 2coasts of the 3great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite,4 heard thereof;
That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, 5with one accord.
¶And when the inhabitants of 6Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
They did work 7wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and 8bound up;
And old shoes and 9clouteda upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and 10all the bread of their provision was dry and 11mouldy.
And they went to Joshua unto the camp at 12Gilgal, and said unto him, 13and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
And the men of Israel said unto the 14Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell 15among us; and 16how shall we make a league with you?
And they said unto Joshua, 17We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
And they said unto him, From a very far country 18thy servants are come 19because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
And allb 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.
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 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 20mouldy:
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.
And 21the men took of their victuals, and 22asked not counsel at 23the mouth of the LORD.
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation 24sware unto 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.
And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and 25Chephirah, and 26Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
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 27murmured against the princes.
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 28touch them.
29This we will do to them; we will even let them live, 30lest wrath be upon us, because of the 31oath which we sware unto them.
And the princes said unto 32them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and 33drawers of water unto all the congregation; 34as the princes had promised 35them.
¶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 ye are 36cursed, and there shall none of you be 37freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the 38house of my God.
And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was 39certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy allc the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of 40our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
And now, behold, we are 41in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
And Joshua 42made 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.