1. And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over by Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it;
2. That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
4. They did work deceitfully, and went and acted as if they were ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and wine bottles, old, and torn, and bound up;
5. And old and patched shoes upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
6. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make an alliance with us.
7. And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you dwell among us; and how shall we make an alliance with you?
8. And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? and from where do you come?
9. And they said to 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,
10. And 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.
11. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, Take food with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore now make an alliance with us.
12. This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is moldy:
13. And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be torn: and these our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.
14. And the men took of their food, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
15. And Joshua made peace with them, and made an alliance with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation swore to them.
16. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made an alliance with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they dwelt among them.
17. And the children of Israel journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.
18. And the children of Israel did not strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19. But all the princes said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
20. This we will do to them; we will even let them live, so that wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.
21. And the princes said to them, Let them live; but let them be cutters of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22. And Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?
23. Now therefore you are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being servants, and cutters of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, 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 greatly afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25. And now, behold, we are in your hand: as it seems good and right to you to do to us, do.
26. And so he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
27. And Joshua made them that day cutters of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even until this day, in the place which he would choose.