Joshua 9

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;

When all the kings in the region - from the hills and valleys to the coastlines near Lebanon, including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites - heard the news, they were deeply moved.

That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

United in purpose, they prepared to battle against Joshua and Israel, their hearts beating as one.

And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

When the people of Gibeon heard about Joshua's actions in Jericho and Ai, they were filled with a mix of fear and awe.

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;

They cunningly posed as diplomats, burdening their donkeys with worn-out sacks and old, patched-up wine bottles.

And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.

They wore worn-out shoes and tattered clothes, and their only food was stale, moldy bread.

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.

They approached Joshua at the Gilgal camp, telling him and the Israelites, "We've traveled from a distant land. Please, let's form an alliance."

And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

The men of Israel, with a hint of suspicion, said to the Hivites, "Perhaps you live near us. If so, how could we form an alliance with you?"

And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

They approached Joshua, pledging, "We are here to serve you." Joshua, curious and cautious, asked them, "Who are you and where do you come from?"

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,

They spoke to him, their voices echoing with awe and reverence, "We've journeyed from distant lands, drawn by the powerful name of your God. His renown has reached us, His mighty deeds in Egypt have stirred our hearts."

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.

We've heard everything He did to the two Amorite kings beyond the Jordan - to Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, who resided in Ashtaroth.

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.

Our respected elders and fellow countrymen advised us, "Pack food for your journey. Go meet them and humbly tell them, 'We are here to serve you. Let's form an alliance now.'"

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:

We packed fresh, warm bread from our homes the day we set out to meet you. But now, sadly, it's stale and covered in mold.

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.

Our wine bottles, once new and full, are now torn and empty. Our clothes and shoes, worn and aged, bear the brunt of our long, arduous journey.

And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

The men hastily consumed their provisions, failing to seek guidance from the Lord.

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.

Joshua made peace with them, forging an alliance that promised to spare their lives, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to them.

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.

After three days of forming an alliance, they discovered with surprise and disbelief that their allies were actually their neighbors, living right amongst them.

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 Kirjathjearim.

The children of Israel set out, and on the third day they reached the Gibeonites' cities. These cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

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.

The Israelites didn't harm them, honoring the leaders' promise made before God. Yet, the community grumbled against these leaders.

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.

The leaders passionately assured everyone, "We've made a sacred promise to them in the name of our God, the Lord of Israel. So, we simply cannot harm them."

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.

We'll spare their lives, to avoid angering God, as we promised them we would.

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.

The leaders pleaded, "Let them live, but have them gather wood and water for everyone," honoring their earlier promise.

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?

Joshua summoned them, asking with a hint of betrayal, "Why did you deceive us by claiming you live far away when you're actually our neighbors?"

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.

You are now under a curse, none of you will escape servitude. You'll be forever bound to labor, chopping wood and fetching water for God's house.

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.

They responded to Joshua, "We heard how your God, through Moses, ordered you to claim this land and eliminate its people. This terrified us for our lives, and that's why we did what we did."

And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

Now, we are at your mercy. Please, treat us as you see fit, with fairness and kindness.

And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

With compassion, he saved them from the wrath of the Israelites, preventing their slaughter.

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.

That day, Joshua assigned them the humble tasks of chopping wood and fetching water for the community and God's altar. They continued this duty in the chosen place, even to this day.