1And when all the kings west of the Jordan - in the hills, the valleys, and along the borders of the Great (Mediterranean) Sea as far as Lebanon - the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites - heard of it, 2They came together to fight as one against Joshua and Israel.

3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4They concocted a cunning ruse, and acted as if they were ambassadors from afar, and loaded old sacks upon their donkeys, with old, torn, and bound up wine skins; 5And wearing old, patched shoes and old garments; with all the bread of their provision being dry and moldy. 6And they came to Joshua at his camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; therefore, make a treaty with us.” 7And the men of Israel said to these Hivites, “Perhaps you live nearby; and if you do, we cannot make a treaty with you.” 8And they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” But Joshua asked them, “Who are you? And where have you come from?” 9And they answered, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God. We have heard the fame of Him, all that He did in Egypt, 10And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan - to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11Therefore, our elders and those from our country told us, “Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants; therefore, now, make a treaty with us.’ 12This our bread we took hot from the oven for our provision on the day we came started; but now, look, it is dry and moldy; 13And these skins of wine, which we filled, were new, and, look, they are torn; and these our garments and our shoes have become old because of the length of our long journey.” 14And the Israelites sampled some of their provisions, but failed to ask counsel from the LORD. 15And then Joshua made a peace treaty with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation ratified it with an oath.

16And then, three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors from Gibeon, and lived near them. 17And the Israelites journeyed to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the leaders. 19But all the leaders said to the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, we may not touch them. 20But this is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21And the leaders continued, “Let them live; but let them be woodcutters and water carriers to serve all the congregation; and so the leaders kept their oath to them.” 22And Joshua summoned them, and said to them, “Why have you deceived us by saying, ‘We are very far from you’; when you live near us? 23Now, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves, woodcutters, and water carriers for the house of my God.” 24And they answered Joshua, “Because we clearly heard how the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all its occupants from before you; we feared very much for our lives; and have done this. 25And now, we are in your hands; do what seems good and right to do to us.” 26And so he did that with them, and spared them from harm by the Israelites, and did not kill them. 27And that day, Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, at the place where the LORD would choose, as unto this day.