And it came to pass, when allthe kingswhich were on this sideJordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in allthe coastsof the greatseaoveragainstLebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof ; That they gathered themselvestogether, to fightwithJoshuaand withIsrael, with oneaccord. And when the inhabitantsof GibeonheardwhatJoshuahad doneunto Jerichoand to Ai, Theydid workwilily, and wentand made as if they had been ambassadors, and tookoldsacksupon their asses, and winebottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And oldshoesand cloutedupon their feet, and oldgarmentsuponthem; and allthe breadof their provisionwas dry and moldy. And they wenttoJoshuauntothe campat Gilgal, and saiduntohim, and tothe menof Israel, We be comefrom a far country: nowtherefore makeye a leaguewith us. And the menof Israelsaiduntothe Hivites, Peradventureyedwellamongus; and howshall we makea leaguewith you? And they saiduntoJoshua, We are thy servants. And Joshuasaiduntothem, Who are ye? and from whencecomeye? And they saiduntohim, From a very far countrythy servantsare comebecause of the nameof the LORDthy God: forwe have heardthe fameof him, and allthathe didin Egypt, And allthathe didto the twokingsof the Amorites, that were beyondJordan, to Sihonkingof Heshbon, and to Ogkingof Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our eldersand allthe inhabitantsof our countryspoketous, saying, Takevictualswith youfor the journey, and goto meetthem, and sayuntothem, We are your servants: therefore nowmakeye a leaguewith us. Thisour breadwe took hot for our provisionout of our houseson the daywe came forthto gountoyou; but now, behold, it is dry, and it ismoldy: And thesebottlesof wine, whichwe filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and theseour garmentsand our shoesare become oldby reason of the verylongjourney. And the mentookof their victuals, and askednot counsel at the mouthof the LORD. And Joshuamadepeacewith them, and madea leaguewith them, to let them live: and the princesof the congregationsworeunto them. And it came to passat the endof threedaysafterthey had madea leaguewith them, that they heardthatthey were theirneighbors, and that theydweltamongthem. And the childrenof Israeljourneyed, and cameuntotheir citieson the thirdday. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. And the childrenof Israelsmotethem not, becausethe princesof the congregationhad swornunto them by the LORDGodof Israel. And allthe congregationmurmuredagainstthe princes. But allthe princessaiduntoallthe congregation, Wehave swornunto them by the LORDGodof Israel: nowtherefore we maynottouchthem. Thiswe will doto them; we will even let them live, lestwrathbeuponus, because ofthe oathwhichwe sworeunto them. And the princessaiduntothem, Let them live; but let them behewersof woodand drawersof waterunto allthe congregation; asthe princeshad promisedthem. And Joshuacalledfor them, and he spokeuntothem, saying, Whereforehave ye beguiledus, saying, We are veryfarfromyou; when yedwellamongus? Nowtherefore ye are cursed, and there shall noneofyou be freedfrom being bondmen, and hewersof woodand drawersof waterfor the houseof my God. And they answeredJoshua, and said, Becauseit was certainly toldthy servants, how thatthe LORDthy Godcommandedhis servantMosesto giveyou allthe land, and to destroyallthe inhabitantsof the landfrom beforeyou, therefore we were soreafraidof our livesbecause ofyou, and have donethisthing. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth goodand rightunto theeto dounto us, do. And sodidhe unto them, and deliveredthem out of the handof the childrenof Israel, that they slewthem not. And Joshuamadethem thatdayhewersof woodand drawersof waterfor the congregation, and for the altarof the LORD, even untothisday, inthe placewhichhe should choose.