1And 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; 2That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.9.2 accord: Heb. mouth
3¶ And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4They 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; 5And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. 6And 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. 7And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? 8And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? 9And 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, 10And 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. 11Wherefore 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.9.11 with you: Heb. in your hand 12This 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: 13And 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. 14And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.9.14 the men…: or, they received the men by reason of their victuals
15And 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. 17And 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. 18And 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. 19But 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. 20This 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. 21And 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? 23Now 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.9.23 none…: Heb. not be cut off from you 24And 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. 25And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. 26And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27And 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.9.27 made: Heb. gave, or, delivered to be
以色列人被基遍人欺騙
1住在約旦河西的山區、丘陵以及地中海沿岸、遠至黎巴嫩的諸王，就是那些赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人和耶布斯人的王聽說這件事， 2就聯合起來對抗約書亞和以色列人。 3基遍的居民聽說約書亞在耶利哥和艾城所做的事， 4便想出一個詭計來。他們裝作特使，把舊皮袋和縫補過的酒囊馱在驢背上， 5穿著縫補過的舊鞋和破爛衣服，帶著又乾又發黴的餅， 6到吉甲營去見約書亞。他們對約書亞和以色列人說：「我們從很遠的地方來求你們跟我們締結盟約。」 7以色列人對這些希未人說：「你們也許就住在附近。我們怎麼能跟你們締結盟約呢？」 8他們對約書亞說：「我們是你的奴僕。」約書亞說：「你們是什麼人？從哪裡來？」 9他們答道：「僕人們從很遠的地方來。我們聽說了你的上帝耶和華的威名，聽說了祂在埃及的一切作為， 10以及祂怎樣對付約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王——希實本王西宏和亞斯她錄的巴珊王噩。 11因此，我們的長老和人民就派我們帶著乾糧來迎接你們，甘做你們的僕人，希望跟你們締結盟約。 12我們出來的時候帶的餅是熱的，看啊，現在又乾又發黴了。 13這些皮酒囊原來也是新的，但現在已經破了。因為長途跋涉，我們的衣服和鞋子也都破舊不堪了。」 14以色列人接受了他們的食物，卻沒有求問耶和華。 15約書亞與他們立了和平盟約，容他們存活，會眾的首領也向他們起誓守約。
16立約三天後，以色列人才發現他們原來就住在附近。 17以色列人啟程，走了三天來到他們居住的基遍、基非拉、比錄和基列·耶琳各城。 18會眾的首領曾憑以色列的上帝耶和華向他們起過誓，所以不能殺他們。全體會眾因此向首領大發怨言。 19首領便對全體會眾說：「我們曾憑以色列的上帝耶和華向他們起誓，我們現在不能動他們。 20我們要容他們存活，免得我們因違背誓言而惹耶和華發怒。」 21首領又說：「就容他們存活吧。」首領就叫他們為全體會眾劈柴挑水。
22於是，約書亞召來他們，對他們說：「你們為什麼要欺騙我們，說你們住得很遠？其實你們就住在附近。 23因此，你們是受咒詛的。你們要永遠做奴僕，為我上帝的殿劈柴挑水。」 24他們答道：「僕人們這樣做是因為害怕喪命。我們聽說你的上帝耶和華曾經應許祂僕人摩西，要把這整片土地都賜給你們，並要將這裡的居民殺盡。 25現在我們既然落在你的手中，你們想怎樣對待我們就怎樣對待吧。」 26約書亞不讓以色列人加害他們，因此他們沒有被殺死。 27那天，約書亞讓他們在耶和華指定的地方，為會眾和耶和華的祭壇劈柴挑水。他們至今仍做這樣的工作。
