Study Desk

And it happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hills and in the Lowlands, and in all the coast of the Great Sea in front of Lebanon, heard of it, the Hittite, and theAmorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, theHivite, and the Jebusite,

they with one mouth gathered themselves to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

And the ones living in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.

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;

and old and patched sandals on their feet; and old garments on them. And all their provision of bread was dry; it was crumbs.

And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a distant land. And now cut a covenant with us.

And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you are living in our midst, and how shall we cut a covenant with you?

And they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you? And from where do you come?

And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very distant land, because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard of His fame, and all that He has done in Egypt.

Also what He has done to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og the king of Bashan who was in Ashtaroth.

And our elders and all the people of our land spoke to us, saying, Take provisions in your hand for the way, and go to meet them. And you shall say to them, We are your servants; and now, cut a covenant with us.

We provided ourselves with this hot bread out of our houses on the day we came out to go to you. And now, behold, it is dry and it is crumbs.

And these are the wineskins which we filled new; and, behold, they have torn. And these garments of ours, and our sandals, have become old because of the exceeding greatness of the way.

And the men took of their provision, and did not ask at the mouth of Jehovah.

And Joshua made peace with them, and cut a covenant with them, to keep them alive. And the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

And at the end of three days after they had cut a covenant with them. And it happened that they heard that they were their neighbors, and they were living in their midst.

And the sons of Israel pulled up stakes and came to their cities on the third day. And their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

And the sons of Israel did not strike them, for the leaders of the congregation swore to them by Jehovah the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the leaders.

And all the leaders said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel; and now we cannot touch them.

We shall do this to them, and shall keep them alive, and wrath shall not be on us because of the oath which we have sworn to them.

And the leaders said to them, They shall live and be woodcutters, and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders spoke to them.

And Joshua called for them; and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, yet you are living in our midst?

And now, you are cursed, and none of you shall fail to be slaves, and woodcutters, and drawers of water for the house of my God.

And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was certainly told to your servants what Jehovah your God commanded His servant Moses, to give you all the land, and to destroy all the ones living in the land before you; and we were greatly afraid for ourselves, because of you. And we did this thing.

And now, behold, we are in your hand. Do whatever is good, and as is right in your eyes to do.

And he did so to them, and delivered them from the hand of the sons of Israel. And they did not kill them.

And on that day Joshua made them woodcutters, and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Jehovah at the place which He should choose, to this day.