1 When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it 2 they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. 3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and old, torn-up and bound up wine skins, 5 and old and patched sandals on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 They went to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us."

7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "What if you live among us? How could we make a covenant with you?"

8 They said to Joshua, "We are your servants."

Joshua said to them, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"

9 They said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, 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 was at Ashtaroth. 11 Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take supplies in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them. Tell them, "We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us."’ 12 This our bread we took hot for our supplies out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy. 13 These wine skins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey."

14 The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from Yahweh’s mouth. 15 Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them. 16 At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17 The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. Now therefore we may not touch them. 20 We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them." 21 The princes said to them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.

22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be slaves, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God."

24 They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your 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 very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do."

26 He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them. 27 That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for Yahweh’s altar to this day, in the place which he should choose.

1 在约旦河西， 住在山上、高原和对着黎巴嫩山大海沿岸所有的王， 就是赫人、亚摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的王， 听见了这些事的时候，

2 就聚集起来， 同心协力地要与约书亚和以色列人交战。

3 基遍的居民听见了约书亚向耶利哥和艾城所行的事，

4 就施诡计， 假冒使者而来， 把旧的布袋和破裂又修补过的旧皮酒袋驮在驴上，

5 脚上穿着补过的旧鞋， 身穿旧衣服， 所带的食物又干又碎。

6 他们去到吉甲营中约书亚那里， 对约书亚和以色列人说： "我们是从远地来的， 现在求你们和我们立约。"

7 以色列人对这些希未人说： "你们也许是这地的居民， 若是这样， 我们怎样和你们立约呢？"

8 他们对约书亚说： "我们是你的仆人。"约书亚问他们： "你们是什么人？是从哪里来的？"

9 他们回答约书亚： "你的仆人为了耶和华你 神的名从很远的地方而来， 因为我们听见了他的名声和他在埃及所行的一切事，

10 以及他对约旦河东亚摩利人的两个王， 就是希实本王西宏和在亚斯他录的巴珊王噩， 所行的一切事。

11 所以我们的长老和我们本国所有的居民对我们说： ‘你们手里要带着旅途用的干粮， 去迎见以色列人， 对他们说： 我们是你们的仆人， 现在求你们和我们立约。’

12 我们出门到你们这里来的时候， 从家里带出来作干粮的这饼还是热的； 看哪， 现在都又干又碎了。

13 这些皮酒袋， 我们盛酒的时候， 还是新的； 你看， 现在都破裂了。我们这些衣服和鞋因路途遥远， 都穿旧了。"

14 以色列人取了他们一些食物， 却没有求问耶和华的旨意。

15 于是约书亚与他们议和， 和他们立约， 容他们存活； 会众的首领也向他们起了誓。

16 以色列人和他们立约之后， 过了三天， 才听见他们是自己的近邻， 是住在这地的居民。

17 于是， 以色列人起程， 第三日就到了他们的城市； 他们的城市就是基遍、基非拉、比录、基列．耶琳。

18 以色列人没有击杀他们， 因为会众的首领曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓， 全体会众就都向首领发怨言。

19 众首领对全体会众说： "我们曾经指着耶和华以色列的 神向他们起了誓， 现在我们不能伤害他们。

20 我们要这样待他们， 就是容他们存活， 免得 神的忿怒因我们向他们所起的誓， 临到我们身上。"

21 众首领又对会众说： "要让他们存活。"于是他们就给全体会众作了劈柴打水的人， 这是按照众首领对他们的吩咐。

22 约书亚把他们召了来， 质问他们： "你们为什么欺骗我们说： ‘我们离你们很远’， 其实你们却是住在这地的？

23 现在你们要受到咒诅， 你们中间必不断有人作奴仆， 为我 神的圣所作劈柴打水的人。"

24 他们回答约书亚， 说： "因为你的仆人确实地听见， 耶和华你的 神曾经吩咐他的仆人摩西， 要把这整片土地赐给你们， 并且要在你们面前把这地上所有的居民都消灭， 因此， 我们因你们的缘故， 很怕丧命， 才行了这事。

25 现在， 你看， 我们都在你的手里， 你看怎样处置我们算为好、算为对， 就怎样行吧。"

26 约书亚就这样处置他们， 救了他们脱离以色列人的手， 以色列人就没有杀他们。

27 在那一天， 约书亚指派他们在耶和华选择的地方， 为会众和耶和华的祭坛作劈柴打水的人， 直到今日。