1 It came to pass, when all the kings who were on this side of The Descender (Jordan), in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea bordering Whiteness (Lebanon), the Terrors (Hittite), The Talkers, Sayers (Amorite), the Humbled Ones (Canaanites), the Village Dwellers (Perizzite), the Villagers (Hivites), and the Trodden Underfoot (Jebusite), heard thereof;
2 They gathered themselves together, to
fight with I AM is Salvation (Joshua) and with God (‘Elohiym) Prevails (Israel),
with one accord.
3 But when the inhabitants of Hill City
(Gibeon) heard what I AM is Salvation (Joshua) had done to Its Moon (Jericho)
and to Heap of Ruins (Ai),
4 They planned a deception and made it
look like they were ambassadors, and took old sacks on their asses, and wine
bottles that were old and torn, and bound up;
5 With old stained shoes on their feet,
and old garments; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
6 They went to I AM is Salvation (Joshua),
to the camp at Rolling Wheel (Gilgal) and said to him and to the men of God
(‘Elohiym) Prevails (Israel): We come from a far country: now, therefore, make
a league with us.
7 And the men of God (‘Elohiym) Prevails
(Israel) said to the Villagers (Hivites): What if you dwell among us? How shall
we make a league with you?
8 They answered I AM is Salvation
(Joshua): We are your servants. Then I AM is Salvation (Joshua) said to them:
Who are you? and from where do you come?
9 They answered him: Your servants have come from a very far country because
of the name of I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) your God
('Elohiym): for we have heard the
fame of Him, and all that He did in Double Straights (Egypt),
10 And all that He did to the two kings of The Talkers, Sayers
(Amorite), that were beyond The Descender (Jordan), to Warrior (Sihon) king of Stronghold
(Heshbon), and to Long-Necked (Og) king of Fruitful (Bashan), which was at Star
(Ashtaroth).
11 Therefore 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 a league with us.
12 This is our bread we took hot for our
provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go to you; but now, look,
it is dry, and it is moldy:
13 These bottles of wine, which we filled
new; look, they are torn: these garments and our shoes are old because of the long
journey.
14 And the men took of their food and did
not ask counsel at the mouth of I AM (the LORD, Yehovah).
15 So I AM is Salvation (Joshua) made
peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes
of the congregation swore to them.
16 But 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 neighbors and that they dwelt among them.
17 So the children of God (‘Elohiym)
Prevails (Israel) journeyed, and came to their cities on the third day. Now
their cities were Hill City (Gibeon), and Lioness (Chephirah), Wells (Beeroth),
and City of Forests (Kirjathjearim).
18 The children of God (‘Elohiym)
Prevails (Israel) did not kill them, because the princes of the congregation
had sworn to them by I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) God (‘Elohiym) of God (‘Elohiym)
Prevails (Israel) but all the congregation murmured against the princes.
19 But all the princes said to all the
congregation: We have sworn to them by I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) God (‘Elohiym)
of God Prevails (Israel): now, therefore, we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them; we will let
them live, lest wrath comes on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.
21 And the princes said to them: Let them
live, but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the
congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 Then I AM is Salvation (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 bondmen, and hewers of wood and
drawers of water for the house of my God (‘Elohiym).
24 They answered I AM is Salvation
(Joshua): Because it was certainly told to your servants, how that I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) your God (‘Elohiym) commanded
his servant Drawn (Moses) to give you all the land and to destroy all the
inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were very afraid of our
lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25 Now, look, we are in your hand: as it
seems good and right to you to do to us, do.
26 So he did to them and delivered them
out of the hand of the children of God (‘Elohiym) Prevails (Israel), that they did
not slay them.
27 This is how I AM is Salvation (Joshua)
made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation that day,
and for the altar of I AM (the LORD, Yehovah) to this day, in the place which He
should choose.