The Giveonites deceive Yehoshua
9:1 And it came to pass, when all the melachim which [were] on this side Yarden, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the HaYamah HaGadol (Mediterranean sea) over against Levanon, the Chitti, and the Emori, the Kenaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Yevusite, heard [thereof];
9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Yehoshua and with Yisrael, with one accord.
9:3 And when the inhabitants of Giveon heard what Yehoshua had done unto Yericho and to Ai,
9:4 They did work a cunning, crafty manner (see Barasheet 3:1), 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;
9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the lechem of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.
9:6 And they went to Yehoshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Yisrael, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
9:7 And the men of Yisrael said unto the Chivi (Hivites), Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
9:8 And they said unto Yehoshua, We [are] thy avadim. And Yehoshua said unto them, Who [are] ye? and from whence come ye?
9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy avadim are come because of the name of YHWH (יהוה) Eloheicha: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Mitzrayim,
9:10 And all that he did to the two melachim of the Emoris, that [were] beyond Yarden, to Sihon melekh of Heshbon, and to Og melekh of Bashan, which [was] at Ashtarot.
9:11 Wherefore our Ziknei (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 avadim: therefore now make ye a league with us.
9:12 This our lechem 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:
9:13 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.
9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of YHWH (יהוה).
9:15 And Yehoshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
9:16 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.
9:17 And Benai Yisrael journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Giveon, and Kephirah, and Be'erot, and Kiryat-Ye'arim.
9:18 And Benai Yisrael smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by YHWH (יהוה) Elohim (אלהים) of Yisrael. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by YHWH (יהוה) Elohim (אלהים) of Yisrael: now therefore we may not touch them.
9:20 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.
9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be woodcutters and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
9:22 And Yehoshua 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?
9:23 Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and woodcutters and drawers of water for the Beit my Elohim (אלהים).
9:24 And they answered Yehoshua, and said:
Because it was certainly told thy avadim, how that YHWH (יהוה) Eloheicha commanded his servant Mosheh 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.
9:25 And now, behold, we [are] in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of Benai Yisrael, that they slew them not.
9:27 And Yehoshua made them that day woodcutters and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of YHWH (יהוה), even yom hazeh (unto this day), in the place which he should choose.