1 quibus auditis cuncti reges trans Iordanem
qui versabantur in montanis et in campestribus
in maritimis ac litore maris Magni
hii quoque qui habitabant iuxta Libanum
Hettheus et Amorreus et Chananeus
Ferezeus et Eveus et Iebuseus
2 congregati sunt pariter ut pugnarent contra Iosue et Israhel
uno animo eademque sententia
3 at hii qui habitabant in Gabaon
audientes cuncta quae fecerat Iosue Hiericho et Ahi
4 et callide cogitantes tulerunt sibi cibaria
saccos veteres asinis inponentes
et utres vinarios scissos atque consutos
5 calciamentaque perantiqua quae ad indicium vetustatis pittaciis consuta
erant
induti veteribus vestimentis
panes quoque quos portabant ob viaticum duri erant et in frusta
comminuti
6 perrexeruntque ad Iosue
qui tunc morabatur in castris Galgalae
et dixerunt ei atque omni simul Israheli
de terra longinqua venimus pacem vobiscum facere cupientes
responderuntque viri Israhel ad eos atque
dixerunt
7 ne forsitan in terra quae nobis sorte debetur
habitetis
et non possimus foedus inire vobiscum
8 at illi ad Iosue servi inquiunt tui sumus
quibus Iosue quinam ait estis et unde venistis
9 responderunt de terra longinqua valde venerunt servi tui
in nomine Domini Dei tui
audivimus enim famam potentiae eius
cuncta quae fecit in Aegypto
10 et duobus Amorreorum regibus trans Iordanem
Seon regi Esebon et Og regi Basan qui erat in Astharoth
11 dixeruntque nobis seniores et omnes habitatores terrae nostrae
tollite in manibus cibaria ob longissimam viam
et occurrite eis ac dicite
servi vestri sumus foedus inite nobiscum
12 en panes quando egressi sumus de domibus nostris ut veniremus ad vos
calidos sumpsimus
nunc sicci facti sunt et vetustate nimia comminuti
13 utres vini novos implevimus nunc rupti sunt et soluti
vestes et calciamenta quibus induimur et quae habemus in pedibus
ob longitudinem largioris viae trita sunt et paene
consumpta
14 susceperunt igitur de cibariis eorum
et os Domini non interrogaverunt
15 fecitque Iosue cum eis pacem
et inito foedere pollicitus est quod non occiderentur
principes quoque multitudinis iuraverunt eis
16 post dies autem tres initi foederis
audierunt quod in vicino habitarent et inter eos futuri essent
17 moveruntque castra filii Israhel
et venerunt in civitates eorum die tertio
quarum haec vocabula sunt
Gabaon et Caphira et Beroth et Cariathiarim
18 et non percusserunt eos
eo quod iurassent eis principes multitudinis
in nomine Domini Dei Israhel
murmuravit itaque omne vulgus contra principes
19 qui responderunt eis iuravimus illis in nomine Domini Dei Israhel
et idcirco non possumus eos contingere
20 sed hoc faciemus eis reserventur quidem ut vivant
ne contra nos ira Domini concitetur si peieraverimus
21 sed sic vivant
ut in usus universae multitudinis ligna caedant aquasque conportent
quibus haec loquentibus
22 vocavit Gabaonitas Iosue et dixit eis
cur nos decipere fraude voluistis
ut diceretis procul valde habitamus a vobis cum in medio nostri sitis
23 itaque sub maledictione eritis
et non deficiet de stirpe vestra ligna caedens aquasque conportans in
domum Dei mei
24 qui responderunt nuntiatum est nobis servis tuis
quae promisisset Dominus Deus tuus Mosi servo suo
ut traderet vobis omnem terram
et disperderet cunctos habitatores eius
timuimus igitur valde et providimus animabus nostris
vestro terrore conpulsi
et hoc consilium inivimus
25 nunc autem in manu tua sumus
quod tibi bonum et rectum videtur fac nobis
26 fecit ergo Iosue ut dixerat
et liberavit eos de manibus filiorum Israhel
ut non occiderentur
27 decrevitque in illo die
esse eos in ministerium cuncti populi et
altaris Domini
caedentes ligna et aquas conportantes usque in praesens tempus
in loco quem Dominus elegisset
1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; 2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 ¶ And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. 6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? 8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? 9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. 11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us. 12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. 14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
16 ¶ And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them. 17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. 18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. 19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. 21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22 ¶ And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? 23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. 24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy 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 sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. 26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.