1And it came to pass, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill-country and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the Great Sea in front of Lebanon — the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite — heard,
2that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one mouth.
3And the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4and they also acted with cunning, and went and made themselves as ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine skins, old and split and bound up,
5and old, patched sandals upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry, it had become crumbs.
6And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the man (ish) of Israel: "We have come from a far land; and now, cut for us a covenant (berit)."
7And the man (ish) of Israel said to the Hivite: "Perhaps you dwell among me; and how shall I cut for you a covenant (berit)?"
8And they said to Joshua: "We are your servants." And Joshua said to them: "Who are you? and from where do you come?"
9And they said to him: "From a very far land your servants have come, for the name of YHWH your God; for we have heard His report, and all that He did in Egypt,
10and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorite who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.
11And our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spoke to us, saying: Take in your hand provision for the way, and go to meet them, and you shall say to them: We are your servants; and now cut for us a covenant (berit).
12This our bread we took hot as our provision from our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; and now, behold, it is dry, and it has become crumbs.
13And these wine skins, which we filled new — and behold, they are split; and these our garments and our sandals are worn out from the very great length of the way."
14And the men (ish) took of their provision, but the mouth of YHWH they did not ask.
15And Joshua made peace with them, and cut for them a covenant (berit) to let them live; and the princes of the congregation swore to them.
16And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had cut for them a covenant (berit), that they heard that they were near to them, and that they were dwelling among them.
17And the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by YHWH, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19And all the princes said to all the congregation: "We have sworn to them by YHWH, the God of Israel; and now we are not able to touch them.
20This we will do to them: even let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them."
21And the princes said to them: "Let them live"; and they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.
22And Joshua called for them, and spoke to them, saying: "Why did you deceive us, saying: We are very far from you — when you are dwelling among us?
23And now you are cursed; and there shall not be cut off from you a servant, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."
24And they answered Joshua and said: "Because it was surely told to your servants how YHWH your God commanded (tzivvah) Moses His servant to give to you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we feared greatly for our souls (nephesh) because of you, and we did this thing.
25And now, behold, we are in your hand; as it is good and right in your eyes to do to us, do."
26And he did so to them, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not slay them.
27And Joshua gave them on that day to be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of YHWH, to this day, at the place which He should choose.