1And it came to pass when all the kings who were by the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon; the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; heard about it, 2that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one mouth. 3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4they did shrewdly, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and bound up, 5old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and in crumbs. 6And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, We have come from a distant land; now therefore, make a treaty with us. 7And the men of Israel said to the Hivites, Perhaps you are dwelling among us; so how can we make a treaty with you? 8But they said to Joshua, We are your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you, and where do you come from? 9So they said to him: Your servants have come from a very distant land, because of the name of Jehovah your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He has done in Egypt, 10and all that He has done to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan; to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. 11Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spoke to us, saying, Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, We are your servants; now therefore, make a treaty with us. 12This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13And these wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey. 14And the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask at the mouth of Jehovah. 15And Joshua made peace with them, and made a treaty with them to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore to them. 16And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made the treaty with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, dwelling among them. 17And the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim. 18But the sons of Israel did not strike them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel. And all the congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19Then all the leaders said to all the congregation, We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel; now therefore, we cannot touch them. 20This we will do to them: We will let them live, that wrath not be upon us because of the oath which we have sworn to them. 21And the leaders said to them, Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders have spoken to them. 22And Joshua summoned them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are dwelling among us? 23Now therefore, you are cursed, and none of you shall fail to be slaves, woodcutters and drawers of water for the house of my God. 24And they answered Joshua and said, Because it was reported and told to your servants that Jehovah your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we were greatly afraid for our souls because of you, and have done this thing. 25And now behold, we are in your hands; do with us as seems good and right in your eyes to do. 26Thus he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they did not kill them. 27And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Jehovah, in the place which He would choose, even to this day.