Y aconteció que cuando se enteraron todos los reyes que estaban al otro lado del Jordán, en los montes, en los valles y en toda la costa del mar Grande^a hacia el Líbano, los reyes de los hititas, amorreos, cananeos, ferezeos, heveos y jebuseos^b, 2 a una se reunieron y se pusieron de acuerdo^1a para pelear contra Josué y contra Israel.

3 Cuando los habitantes de Gabaón se enteraron de lo que Josué había hecho a Jericó y a Hai^a, 4 ellos también usaron de astucia y fueron como embajadores¹, y llevaron alforjas viejas sobre sus asnos, y odres de vino viejos, rotos y remendados², 5 y sandalias gastadas y remendadas en sus pies, y vestidos viejos sobre sí; y todo el pan de su provisión estaba seco y desmenuzado. 6 Vinieron a Josué al campamento en Gilgal^a, y le dijeron a él y a los hombres de Israel: Hemos venido de un país lejano; haced, pues, pacto con nosotros. 7 Y los hombres de Israel dijeron a los heveos^a: Quizá habitáis en nuestra tierra¹, ¿cómo, pues, haremos pacto con vosotros^2b? 8 Respondieron ellos a Josué: Somos tus siervos^a. Y Josué les dijo: ¿Quiénes sois, y de dónde venís? 9 Y le dijeron: Tus siervos han venido de un país muy lejano^a a causa de la fama del SEÑOR tu Dios; porque hemos oído hablar de Él, de todo lo que hizo en Egipto^b, 10 y de todo lo que hizo a los dos reyes de los amorreos que estaban al otro lado del Jordán, a Sehón, rey de Hesbón, y a Og, rey de Basán, que estaba en Astarot. 11 Y nuestros ancianos y todos los habitantes de nuestro país nos hablaron, diciendo: «Tomad provisiones en vuestra mano para el camino, id a su encuentro y decidles: “Somos vuestros siervos^a; haced, pues, pacto con nosotros”». 12 Este nuestro pan estaba caliente cuando lo sacamos de nuestras casas para provisión el día que salimos para venir a vosotros; pero he aquí, ahora está seco y desmenuzado. 13 Estos odres de vino que llenamos eran nuevos, y he aquí, están rotos; y estos vestidos nuestros y nuestras sandalias están gastados a causa de lo muy largo del camino. 14 Y los hombres de Israel tomaron de sus provisiones, y no pidieron el consejo¹ del SEÑOR^a. 15 Josué hizo paz con ellos y celebró pacto con ellos^a para conservarles la vida; también los jefes de la congregación se lo juraron.

16 Y sucedió que al cabo de tres días después de haber hecho pacto con ellos, oyeron que eran vecinos y que habitaban en su tierra¹. 17 Y partieron los hijos de Israel, y al tercer día llegaron a sus ciudades. Sus ciudades eran Gabaón^a, Cafira, Beerot y Quiriat-jearim. 18 Los hijos de Israel no los mataron¹ porque los jefes de la congregación les habían jurado por el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel. Y toda la congregación murmuraba contra los jefes. 19 Pero todos los jefes dijeron a¹ la congregación: Nosotros les hemos jurado por el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel, y ahora no podemos tocarlos. 20 Esto es lo que haremos con ellos: los dejaremos vivir, para que no venga sobre nosotros la ira por el juramento que les hemos hecho. 21 Y los jefes les dijeron: Dejadlos vivir. Y fueron leñadores y aguadores^a para toda la congregación, tal como los jefes les habían dicho.

22 Entonces Josué los mandó llamar y les habló, diciendo: ¿Por qué nos habéis engañado, diciendo: «Habitamos muy lejos de vosotros», cuando habitáis en nuestra tierra^1a? 23 Ahora pues, malditos sois y nunca dejaréis de ser esclavos^1a, leñadores y aguadores para la casa de mi Dios. 24 Y ellos respondieron a Josué, y dijeron: Porque ciertamente tus siervos fueron informados de que el SEÑOR tu Dios había mandado a su siervo Moisés que os diera toda la tierra, y que destruyera a todos los habitantes de la tierra delante de vosotros; por tanto, temimos en gran manera por nuestras vidas a causa de vosotros, y hemos hecho^a esto. 25 Ahora pues, he aquí estamos en tus manos; haz con nosotros lo que te parezca bueno y justo^a. 26 Y así hizo él con ellos, y los libró de las manos de los hijos de Israel, yestos no los mataron. 27 Y aquel día Josué los hizo leñadores y aguadores para la congregación y para el altar del SEÑOR, en el lugar que el SEÑOR escogiera^a, hasta el día de hoy.

Now it came about when ^aall the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the ^bcoast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, ^cthe Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2 that they gathered themselves together with ^1aone accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3 When the inhabitants of ^aGibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they also acted craftily and ¹set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and ²mended, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled. 6 They went to Joshua to the ^acamp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” 7 The men of Israel said to the ^aHivites, “Perhaps you are living ¹within our land; ^bhow then shall we make a covenant with you?” 8 But they said to Joshua, “^aWe are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from ^aa very far country because of the ¹fame of the LORD your God; for ^bwe have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, 10 and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “^aWe are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ 12 This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13 These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and ^adid not ask for the ¹counsel of the LORD. 15 ^aJoshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living ¹within their land. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were ^aGibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18 The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” 21 The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became ^ahewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.

22 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ ^awhen you are living ¹within our land? 23 Now therefore, you are ^acursed, and ¹you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.” 24 So they answered Joshua and said, “^aBecause it was certainly told your servants that the LORD your God had commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; therefore we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now behold, ^awe are in your hands; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.” 26 Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hands of the sons of Israel, and they did not kill them. 27 But Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, ^ain the place which He would choose.

Now when ^aall the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland at the western edge of the hills of Judea, and all along the ^bcoast of the Great Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon, ^cthe Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of this army and its victories over Jericho and Ai, 2 they gathered together with ^1aone purpose to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

3 But when the people of ^aGibeon the Hivites heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they too acted craftily and cunningly, and set out and took along provisions, but took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins (leather bottles) that were worn out and split open and patched together, 5 and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their supply of food was dry and had turned to crumbs. 6 They went to Joshua in the ^acamp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; so now, make a covenant (treaty) with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to the ^aHivites, “Perhaps you are living within our land; ^bhow then can we make a covenant (treaty) with you?” 8 They said to Joshua, “^aWe are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “Your servants have come from ^aa country that is very far away because of the fame of the LORD your God; for ^bwe have heard the news about Him and all the remarkable things that He did in Egypt, 10 and everything that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon and to Og the king of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the residents of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for the journey and go to meet the sons of Israel and say to them, “^aWe are your servants; now make a covenant (treaty) with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was hot (fresh) when we took it along as our provision from our houses on the day we left to come to you; now look, it is dry and has turned to crumbs. 13 These wineskins which we filled were new, and look, they are split; our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey that we had to make.” 14 So the men of Israel took some of their own provisions and offered them in friendship, and foolishly ^adid not ask for the counsel of the LORD. 15 ^aJoshua made peace with them and made a covenant (treaty) with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation of Israel swore an oath to them.

16 It happened that three days after they had made a covenant (treaty) with them, the Israelites heard that they were actually their neighbors and that they were living among them. 17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now the cities of the Hivites were ^aGibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18 But the sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel to spare them. And all the congregation murmured expressing great dissatisfaction against the leaders. 19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, so now we cannot touch them. 20 This is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that the wrath of God does not come upon us for violating the oath which we have sworn to them.” 21 The leaders said to them, “Let them live as our slaves.” So they became the ^acutters and gatherers of firewood and water carriers for the entire congregation, just as the leaders had said of them.

22 Joshua called the Hivite men and said, “Why did you deceive us, saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ ^awhen in fact you live among us? 23 Now therefore, you are ^acursed, and you shall always be slaves, both cutters and gatherers of firewood and water carriers for the house of my God.” 24 They replied to Joshua and said, “^aBecause your servants were told in no uncertain terms that the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the land’s inhabitants before you, we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and so we did this deceptive thing. 25 Now look, ^awe are in your hands; do to us as it seems good and right in your sight.” 26 So that is what he did to them; he rescued them from the hands of the Israelites and they did not kill them. 27 Now on that day Joshua made them cutters and gatherers of firewood and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, ^ain the place which He would choose.