The people of Gibeon, afraid of Israel, trick Joshua into a treaty by pretending to come from a far country. When the deception is discovered, they are made woodcutters and water carriers for the altar.
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan , in the hills , and in the valleys , and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon , the Hittite , and the Amorite , the Canaanite , the Perizzite , the Hivite , and the Jebusite , heard thereof;
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 unto Jericho and to Ai ,
4 They did work wilily , and went and made as if they had been ambassadors , and took old sacks upon their asses , and wine bottles , old , and rent , and bound up ;
5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet , and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy .
6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal , and said unto him, and to the men of Israel , We be come from a far country : now therefore make ye a league with us.
7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites , Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
8 And they said unto Joshua , We are thy servants . And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy 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 , which was at Ashtaroth .
11 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.
12 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 mouldy :
13 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 .
14 And the men took of their victuals , and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD .
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live : and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16 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.
17 And the children of Israel journeyed , and came unto their cities on the third day . Now their cities were Gibeon , and Chephirah , and Beeroth , and Kirjathjearim .
18 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 murmured against the princes .
19 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 touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live , lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live ; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation ; as the princes had promised them.
22 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?
23 Now therefore ye are cursed , and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen , and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God .
24 And they answered Joshua , and said , Because it was certainly told thy servants , how that the LORD thy 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing .
25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand : as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do .
26 And so did he unto 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 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 .