1All the kings on this side of the Jordan heard about it. They were the kings in the hills, in the valleys, and along all the shore of the great sea toward Lebanon: the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
2They gathered together, all of one mind, to fight against Joshua and Israel.
4So they acted with cunning. They went and made themselves look like messengers from far away. They took old sacks and put them on their donkeys, and wineskins that were old, torn, and tied up again.
5They wore old, patched shoes on their feet and old clothes on their backs. All the bread they carried was dry and mouldy.
6They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal. They said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country. Make an agreement with us."
7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live among us. How then can we make an agreement with you?"
8They said to Joshua, "We are your servants." Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"
9They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the LORD your God. For we have heard the report of him, and all that he did in Egypt,"
10"and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan: to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth."
11"So our elders and all the people of our country said to us, 'Take food with you for the journey. Go and meet them, and say to them, We are your servants. So now make an agreement with us.'"
12"This bread of ours was hot when we took it from our houses for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you. But now, look, it is dry and mouldy."
13"These wineskins were new when we filled them, and look, they are torn. These clothes of ours and our shoes have worn out because the journey was so very long."
14The men took some of their food, but they did not ask the LORD what to do.
15So Joshua made peace with them. He made an agreement with them to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.
16Three days after they had made the agreement with them, the Israelites heard that these men were their neighbours, and that they lived among them.
17So the children of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
18The children of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And the whole community complained against the leaders.
19But all the leaders said to the whole community, "We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. So now we may not touch them."
20"This is what we will do to them. We will let them live, so that no anger comes on us because of the oath we swore to them."
21The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became cutters of wood and carriers of water for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them.
22Joshua called for them and said to them, "Why did you trick us? You said, 'We live very far from you,' but you live among us."
23"So now you are cursed. Some of you will always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the house of my God."
24They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the people of the land before you. So we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this."
25"And now, look, we are in your hand. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you."
26So that is what he did for them. He saved them from the hand of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.
27That day Joshua made them cutters of wood and carriers of water for the community and for the altar of the LORD, and they are so to this day, in the place that he would choose.