3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4They did concocted a cunning ruse, and acted as if they were ambassadors from afar, and loaded old sacks upon their donkeys, with old, torn, and bound up wine skins; 5And wearing old, patched shoes and old garments; with all the bread of their provision being dry and moldy. 6And they came to Joshua at his camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; therefore, make a treaty with us”. 7And the men of Israel said to these Hivites, “Perhaps you live nearby; and then how shall we make a treaty with you?” 8And they said to Joshua, “We are your servants”. But Joshua said asked them, “Who are you? And where have you come from?” 9And they answered him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the LORD your God. We have heard the fame of Him, and all that He did in Egypt, 10And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were east of the Jordan - to Sihon, king of Heshbon, and Og, king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11Therefore our elders and those from our country said to us, “Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants; therefore, now, make a treaty with us’. 12This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came out to come to you; but now, look, it is dry and moldy; 13And these skins of wine, which we filled, were new, and, look, they are torn; and these our garments and our shoes have become old because of the length of our long journey”. 14And the Israelite sampled some of their provisions, but failed to ask counsel from the LORD. 15And then Joshua made a peace treaty with them, to let them live; and the princes of the congregation ratified it with an oath.

16And then, three days after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors from Gibeon, that lived near them. 17And the children of Israel journeyed to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. 19But all the princes said to the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; therefore, we may not touch them. 20This is what we will do to them: we will let them live, so that wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.” 21And the princes continued, “Let them live; but let them be woodcutters and water carriers to service all the congregation; and thus the princes kept their oath to them”. 22And Joshua summoned them, and he said to them, “Why have you deceived us by saying, “We are very far from you”; when you live near us? 23Now, you are cursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves, woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” 24And they answered Joshua, “Because we clearly heard how the LORD your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all its occupants from before you; we feared very much for our lives before you, and have done this. 25And now, we are in your hands; do what seems good and right to you to do to us”. 26And so he did to them, and spared them from harm by the children of Israel, and did not kill them. 27And Joshua made them that day woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, at the place where the LORD would choose.