Joshua 9
The Gibeonites Deceive Israel
9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan1 – in the hill country, the lowlands,2 and all along the Mediterranean coast3 as far as4 Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) – 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.5
9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho6 and Ai,
9:4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions7 and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched.
9:5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread8 was dry and hard.9
9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.”
9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us.10 So how can we make a treaty with you?”
9:8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.”11 So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9:9 They told him, “Your subjects12 have come from a very distant land because of the reputation13 of the
9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby.22
9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the
9:2231 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites32 and said to them, “Why did you trick33 us by saying, ‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby?34
9:23 Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”35
9:24 They said to Joshua, “It was carefully reported to your subjects36 how the