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And it cometh to pass, when all the kings who [are] beyond the Jordan , in the hill -country, and in the low-country, and in every haven of the great sea , over-against Lebanon , the Hittite , and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite , and the Jebusite, hear --
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that they gather themselves together to fight with Joshua , and with Israel -- one mouth .
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And the inhabitants of Gibeon have heard that which Joshua hath done to Jericho and to Ai ,
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and they work, even they, with subtilty, and go, and feign to be ambassadors, and take old sacks for their asses , and wine-bottles , old, and rent, and bound up,
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and sandals , old and patched, on their feet , and old garments upon them, and all the bread of their provision is dry -- it was crumbs.
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And they go unto Joshua , unto the camp at Gilgal , and say unto him, and unto the men of Israel , `From a land far off we have come , and now, make with us a covenant;'
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and the men of Israel say unto the Hivite , `It may be in our midst ye are dwelling , and how do we make with thee a covenant?'
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and they say unto Joshua , `Thy servants we [are].' And Joshua saith unto them, `Who [are] ye? and whence come ye?'
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And they say unto him, `From a land very far off have thy servants come , for the name of Jehovah thy God , for we have heard His fame, and all that He hath done in Egypt ,
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and all that He hath done to the two kings of the Amorite who [are] beyond the Jordan , to Sihon king of Heshbon , and to Og king of Bashan , who [is] in Ashtaroth.
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`And our elders , and all the inhabitants of our land speak unto us , saying, Take in your hand provision for the way , and go to meet them, and ye have said unto them, Your servants we [are], and now, make with us a covenant;
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this our bread -- hot we provided ourselves with it out of our houses , on the day of our coming out to go unto you, and now, lo, it is dry , and hath been crumbs;
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and these [are] the wine-bottles which we filled , new, and lo, they have rent; and these, our garments and our sandals , have become old, from the exceeding greatness of the way .'
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And the men take of their provision, and the mouth of Jehovah have not asked;
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and Joshua maketh with them peace , and maketh with them a covenant, to keep them alive; and swear to them do the princes of the company .
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And it cometh to pass, at the end of three days after that they have made with them a covenant, that they hear that they [are] their neighbours -- that in their midst they are dwelling .
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And the sons of Israel journey and come in unto their cities on the third day -- and their cities [are] Gibeon , and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-Jearim --
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and the sons of Israel have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel , and all the company murmur against the princes.
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And all the princes say unto all the company , `We -- we have sworn to them by Jehovah , God of Israel ; and now, we are not able to come against them;
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this we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us , because of the oath which we have sworn to them.'
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And the princes say unto them, `They live, and are hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the company , as the princes spake to them.'
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And Joshua calleth for them, and speaketh unto them, saying, `Why have ye deceived us , saying, We are very far from you, and ye in our midst dwelling ?
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and now, cursed are ye, and none of you is cut off [from being] a servant , even hewers of wood and drawers of water , for the house of my God .'
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And they answer Joshua and say , `Because it was certainly declared to thy servants , that Jehovah thy God commanded Moses His servant to give to you all the land , and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; and we fear greatly for ourselves because of you, and we do this thing;
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and now, lo, we [are] in thy hand , as [it is] good , and as [it is] right in thine eyes to do to us -- do.'
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And he doth to them so, and delivereth them from the hand of the sons of Israel , and they have not slain them;
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and Joshua maketh them on that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the company , and for the altar of Jehovah , unto this day , at the place which He doth choose.