9 There were several kings who ruled in regions on this west side of the Yordan—the Hittites and Amorites, the Canaanites and Perizzites, the Hivites and the Yebusites. Some were in the hill country, some in the lowlands, and some along the Mediterranean coast south of Lebanon. When they heard about what had happened at Ay, 2 they formed an alliance to fight together against Yehoshua and Israel.

3 However, when the people who live in Gibeon heard what Yehoshua had done to Yericho and Ay, 4 they decided to use cunning instead. They found old, worn-out sacks to throw over their donkeys and old, worn-out wineskins that had been torn and mended, then sent men to act as ambassadors. 5 They found worn-out sandals that had been patched, and wore worn-out clothes. All the food that they took for the journey was already dry and disintegrating into crumbs. 6 They went to Yehoshua in the camp at Gilgal and told him, “We’ve come from a far-off land and want you to make a treaty with us.”

7 An Israeli man asked the Hivite (because Gilead was in the Hivite region), “Perhaps you really live near by? How could we make a treaty with you?”[ref]

8 They addressed Yehoshua, “We are your servants.”

Yehoshua asked them, “Who are you? And where have you come from?”

9 “Your servants have come from a very distant land,” they replied, “because of the reputation of your God, Yahweh. We’ve heard the reports about him and everything that he did in Egypt, 10 and everything that he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Yordan—King Sihon of Heshbon, and King Og of the Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth.[ref] 11 So our elders and all those who live in our area instructed us, ‘Take provisions for the journey and go to meet them, and tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a treaty with us.” ’ 12 This bread of ours was warm from our ovens when we loaded it for our journey, and now, look, it’s all dry and crumbling. 13 And these wineskins were new when we filled them, and look, now they’re all torn. Same with our clothes and our sandals—they’re all worn-out from the very long journey.”

14 The Israeli leaders tasted some of their provisions, but they didn’t ask Yahweh for advice. 15 So Yehoshua agreed to make peace with them, and they made a treaty not to attack their people, and all the Israeli leaders promised that.

16 However, three days after making the treaty, they discovered that those people actually lived quite close to where they were. 17 Then the Israelis went on forward and they arrived at those cities on the third day—the cities of Gibeon, Kefirah, Beerot, and Kiryat-Yearim. 18 But they didn’t attack those cities because their leaders had made a promise by the God of Israel, Yahweh.

All the Israelis grumbled against their leaders for making that treaty, 19 but their leaders told them, “We ourselves have promised them by our God Yahweh so now we can’t touch them. 20 We’re forced now to let them live, otherwise God’s anger would be against us for breaking our promise to them. 21 So we’ll let them live but make them our slaves.” As a result of that, the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water-carriers for all the Israelis.

22 Then Yehoshua summoned them and asked them, “Why did you all deceive us by telling us that you lived far away when really you were very close? 23 Because of that, you’re all cursed and you’ll always be our slaves—you’ll all be the woodcutters and water-carriers for the house of my God.”

24 “Because it was made very clear to your servants,” they answered, “that your God Yahweh had commanded his servant Mosheh to give to you all the land and to destroy everyone who lives in the region. We feared for our lives when you came closer, so that’s what we did. 25 So now we’re in your power—do to us whatever you think is good and right.” 26 So that’s what Yehoshua did and he prevented the Israelis from killing them. 27 Instead he made them move to where he wanted, to become woodcutters and water-carriers for the people and for Yahweh’s altar until this day.