06_JOS_09_01 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];

06_JOS_09_02 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

06_JOS_09_03 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

06_JOS_09_04 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;

06_JOS_09_05 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.

06_JOS_09_06 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.

06_JOS_09_07 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

06_JOS_09_08 And they said unto Joshua, We [are] thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who [are] ye? and from whence come ye?

06_JOS_09_09 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,

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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:

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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?

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_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.

06_JOS_09_25 And now, behold, we [are] in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

06_JOS_09_26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

06_JOS_09_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.