1 ¶ When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hills, in the lowland, and all along the coast of the great sea as far as Lebanon, the Hittite, Amorite, Canaanite, Perizzite, Hivite, and Jebusite, heard of it;

2 They gathered themselves together, with one accord, to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3 ¶ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

4 They resorted to deception, and went as ambassadors, placing old sacks on their donkeys, along with old torn and mended wineskins;

5 With old and patched shoes on their feet, wearing old garments; and all of the bread in their provisions was dry and moldy.

6 And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, We have come from a distant land: so now make a treaty with us.

7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you live nearby; how then can we make a treaty with you?

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

9 And they said to him, Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God: for we have heard reports of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.

11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, Take food with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants: therefore make a treaty with us.

12 This is our bread, it was hot when we took it out of our houses for our provision on the day we set out to go to you; but now, look, it is dry, and it is moldy:

13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, look, they are torn: and our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.

14 So the men ate with them, without even asking the LORD about it.

15 ¶ And Joshua made peace with them, and made a treaty with them, to let them live: and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

16 Then three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived nearby.

17 And the children of Israel moved, and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

18 And the children of Israel did not slay them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And the entire congregation complained against the leaders.

19 But all the leaders said to the entire assembly, We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel: so now we cannot touch them.

20 This is what we will do to them; we will let them live, so wrath does not come upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.

21 They then added, Let them live; as the leaders promised them; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water for the entire community.

22 ¶ Then Joshua called for them, and said to them, Why have you deceived us, saying, We live very far from you; when you live among us?

23 Now you are cursed, and none of you will ever be freed from being slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because your servants were plainly told, that the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

25 And now, behold, we are in your hand: do what seems good and right in your sight to do to us.

26 And that is what Joshua did to them, delivering them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.

27 And that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even to this day, at whatever place he might choose.