9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²  and all along the Mediterranean coast ³  as far as ⁴  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) – 9:2 they formed an alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel. ⁵ 

9:3 When the residents of Gibeon heard what Joshua did to Jericho ⁶  and Ai, 9:4 they did something clever. They collected some provisions ⁷  and put worn-out sacks on their donkeys, along with worn-out wineskins that were ripped and patched. 9:5 They had worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and dressed in worn-out clothes. All their bread ⁸  was dry and hard. ⁹  9:6 They came to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Make a treaty with us.” 9:7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live near us. ¹⁰  So how can we make a treaty with you?” 9:8 But they said to Joshua, “We are willing to be your subjects.” ¹¹  So Joshua said to them, “Who are you and where do you come from?” 9:9 They told him, “Your subjects ¹²  have come from a very distant land because of the reputation ¹³  of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt ¹⁴  9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth. 9:11 Our leaders and all who live in our land told us, ‘Take provisions for your journey and go meet them. Tell them, “We are willing to be your subjects. ¹⁵  Make a treaty with us.”’ 9:12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it in our homes the day we started out to meet you, ¹⁶  but now it is dry and hard. ¹⁷  9:13 These wineskins we filled were brand new, but look how they have ripped. Our clothes and sandals have worn out because it has been a very long journey.” 9:14 The men examined ¹⁸  some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice. ¹⁹  9:15 Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community ²⁰  sealed it with an oath. ²¹ 

9:16 Three days after they made the treaty with them, the Israelites found out they were from the local area and lived nearby. ²²  9:17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities – Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 9:18 The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the Lord God of Israel. ²³  The whole community criticized ²⁴  the leaders, 9:19 but all the leaders told the whole community, “We swore an oath to them in the name of ²⁵  the Lord God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt ²⁶  them! 9:20 We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.” ²⁷  9:21 The leaders then added, ²⁸  “Let them live.” So they became ²⁹  woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided. ³⁰