Joshua 9 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When all the kings west of the Jordan heard about this — the ones in the hill country, the western foothills, and all along the Mediterranean coast up to Lebanon — the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites —

they formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.

But the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

and they came up with their own plan. They went and disguised themselves as foreign diplomats: they loaded up their donkeys with worn-out sacks and old, cracked wineskins that had been patched back together,

put worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in ragged clothes. All the bread they brought for food was dry and crumbling.

They went to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, 'We've come from a distant country. Make a treaty with us.'

But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, 'What if you actually live nearby? We can't make a treaty with you.'

They said to Joshua, 'We are your servants.' Joshua asked them, 'Who are you, and where do you come from?'

They told him, 'Your servants have come from a very distant country, because of the reputation of Yahweh your God. We've heard the reports about him — everything he did in Egypt,

and everything he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan — Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who ruled in Ashtaroth.

So our elders and everyone in our country told us, "Take supplies for the road and go meet them. Tell them, 'We are your servants — please make a treaty with us.'"

Look at our bread — it was still warm when we packed it the day we left to come to you. But now look, it's dry and crumbling.

And these wineskins were brand new when we filled them. Look how they've cracked. And our clothes and sandals are worn out from the incredibly long journey.

The men examined their supplies but did not consult Yahweh.

So Joshua made peace with them and made a treaty guaranteeing their lives, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to uphold it.

Three days after they had made the treaty, they found out that these people were actually their neighbors — living right there among them.

The Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day — Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. The whole community grumbled against the leaders,

but all the leaders said to the whole community, 'We swore an oath to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. We cannot touch them now.

This is what we'll do with them: We'll let them live, so that no divine anger falls on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.'

The leaders told them, 'Let them live.' So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, just as the leaders had decided.

Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and confronted them: 'Why did you deceive us? You told us, "We live very far from you," when you actually live right here among us!

So now you are under a curse: You will never stop serving as slaves — woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.'

They answered Joshua, 'Your servants were clearly told that Yahweh your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land, and to wipe out all the inhabitants ahead of you. We were absolutely terrified for our lives because of you — that's why we did this.

Now we are in your hands. Do whatever you think is right and good to do with us.'

So that's what Joshua did: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.

That day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community and for the altar of Yahweh, in the place that he would choose — and that's what they are to this day.