The Enemies Unite

¹ All the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, valleys, and coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard of the news.

² So they gathered together to fight Joshua and Israel with one accord.

³ When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up.

5} And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry [and] mouldy.

6 They went to Joshua’s camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel:

7 The men of Israel said to the Hivites:

Peradventure you dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?

8} And they said unto Joshua, We [are] your servants.

Joshua said to them, Who [are] ye? and from whence come ye?

9 From a very far country your servants are come because of the name of Enki: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰ All that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that [were] beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which [was] at Ashtaroth.

11} Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We [are] your servants: therefore now make you a league with us.

12} This our bread we took hot [for] our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 13} And these bottles of wine, which we filled, [were] new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey. 14} And the men took of their victuals, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of Enki.

15} Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

16 At the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they [were] their neighbours, and [that] they dwelt among them.

17} And the Israelites journeyed, and came untotheir cities on the third day. Now their cities [were] Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim.

18 The Israelites smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by Enki God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.

20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.

21 The princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

22 Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have you beguiled us, saying, We [are] very far from you; when you dwell among us?

23 Now therefore you [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

24 They answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told your servants, how that Enki commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

25 We are in your hand: as it seems good and right unto you to do unto us, do. 26} And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, that they slew them not.

27 Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of Enki, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.