Dual Panel1News of these happenings reached all the kings west of the Jordan, in the hill-country, in the Shephelah, and in all the coast of the Great Sea running up to the Lebanon, and the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites
2agreed to join forces and fight against Joshua and Israel.
3When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard how Joshua had dealt with Jericho and Ai,
4they resorted to a ruse: they set out after disguising themselves, with old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins split and mended,
5old and patched sandals for their feet, old clothing to wear, and by way of provisions nothing but dry and crumbling bread.
6They came to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, where they said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country to ask you now to grant us a treaty.”
7The Israelites said to these Hivites, “But it may be that you live in our neighbourhood: if so, how can we grant you a treaty?”
8They said to Joshua, “We are your slaves.” Joshua asked them who they were and where they came from.
9“Sir,” they replied, “our country is very far away, and we have come because of the renown of the LORD your God. We have heard the report of all that he did to Egypt
10and to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan who lived at Ashtaroth.
11Our elders and all the people of our country told us to take provisions for the journey and come to meet you, and say, ‘We are your slaves; please grant us a treaty.’
12Look at our bread; it was hot from the oven when we packed it at home on the day we came away. Now, as you see, it is dry and crumbling.
13Here are our wineskins; they were new when we filled them, and now they are all split; look at our clothes and our sandals, worn out by the very long journey.”
14Without seeking guidance from the LORD, the leaders of the community accepted some of their provisions.
15Joshua received them peaceably and granted them a treaty, promising to spare their lives, and the leaders ratified it on oath.
16However, within three days of granting them the treaty the Israelites learnt that these people were in fact neighbours, living nearby.
17The Israelites then set out and on the third day they reached their towns, Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18The Israelites did not attack them, because of the oath which the chief men of the community had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. When the whole community was indignant with the leaders,
19they all made this reply: “We swore an oath to them by the LORD the God of Israel; so now we cannot touch them.
20What we shall do is this: we shall spare their lives so that the oath which we swore to them may bring down no wrath on us.
21But though their lives must be spared, they will be set to cut wood and draw water for the community.” The people agreed to do as their chiefs had said.
22Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you play this trick on us? You told us that you live a long way off, when in fact you are near neighbours.
23From now there is a curse on you: for all time you shall provide us with slaves, to cut wood and draw water for the house of my God.”
24They answered Joshua, “We were told, sir, that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole country and to wipe out its inhabitants; so because of you we were in terror of our lives, and that is why we did this.
25We are in your hands: do with us whatever you think right and proper.”
26What he did was this: he saved them from death at the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill them;
27but from that day he assigned them to cut wood and draw water for the community and for the altar of the LORD. And to this day they do so at the place which the LORD chose.