Joshua:9

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* And it happened , when all the kings who [were ] on this side Jordan , in the hills and in the valleys , and in all the coast of the great sea over against Lebanon heard , the Hittite , and the Amorite , the Canaanite , the Perizzite , the Hivite , and the Jebusite , * they all , with one mind , gathered themselves to fight with Joshua and with Israel . * And when those who lived in Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai , * they worked slyly . For they came and acted as if they were ambassadors . And they took old sacks on their asses , and old and torn and bound up wineskins , * and old and patched sandals on their feet , and old clothes on them . And all the bread they had taken was dry [and ] moldy . * And they went to Joshua to 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 treaty with us . * And the men of Israel said to the Hivites , Perhaps you are living among us , and how shall we make a treaty with you ? * And they said to Joshua , We [are ] your servants . And Joshua said to them , Who [are ] you , and from where do you come ? * And they 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 of His fame and all that He did in Egypt , * and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who [were ] beyond Jordan , to Sihon king of Heshbon , and to Og king of Bashan , who was at Ashtaroth . * And our elders and all those who live in our country spoke to us saying , Take provisions with you for the journey , and go to meet them . Say to them , We [are ] your servants . And now make a treaty with us . * We took this bread hot [for ] our provision out of our houses on the day we came out to go to you . But now , see , [it is ] dry , and it is moldy . * And these wineskins which we filled [were ] new . And , see , they are torn . And these clothes and shoes of ours have become old because of the very long journey . * And they received the men because of their provisions , and did not ask at the mouth of the LORD . * And Joshua made peace with them , and made a treaty with them , to let them live . And the rulers of the congregation swore to them . * And it happened at the end of three days after they had made a treaty with them , they heard that they [were ] their neighbors and that they lived among them . * And the sons of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day . Now their cities [were ] Gibeon , and Chephirah , and Beeroth , and Kirjath-jearim . * And the sons of Israel did not strike them , because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel . And all the congregation murmured against the rulers . * But all the rulers said to the congregation , We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel . Now , therefore , we may not touch them . * This we will do to them . We will even let them live , lest wrath be on us because of the oath which we swore to them . * And the rulers said to them , Let them live , but let them be woodcutters and drawers of water to all the congregation , as the rulers had promised them . * And Joshua called for them , and he spoke to them , saying , Why have you fooled us saying , We [are ] very far from you , when you dwell among us ? * And now you [are ] cursed , and there shall none of you be freed from being slaves and woodcutters and drawers of water for the house of my God . * And they answered Joshua and said , Because it was certainly told your servants how the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land , and to destroy all those who lived in the land from before you ; therefore , we were very much afraid of our lives because of you , and have done this thing . * And now , behold , we [are ] in your hand . As it seems good and right to you to do to us , do it . * And so he did to them , and delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel , so that they did not kill them . * And Joshua made them that day woodcutters and drawers of water for the congregation , and for the altar of the LORD , even to this day , in the place which He should choose .

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