1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; 2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
3 ¶ And 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 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us. 7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? 8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? 9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 And 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 ye 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 the LORD.
15 And 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 ¶ And it came to pass 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 children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjath-jearim. 18 And the children of Israel 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 the LORD 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 And 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 ¶ And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? 23 Now therefore ye 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 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God 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 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. 26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
Gibeoniešu viltība
1 Kad to izdzirdēja visi ķēniņi, kas bija viņpus Jardānas kalnos un līdzenumos un gar visu Lielās jūras piekrasti iepretī Lebanonam, – hetieši, amorieši, kanaānieši, perizieši, hivieši un jebūsieši, – 2 tad tie sapulcējās, lai cīnītos ar Jozuu un Israēlu – visi kā viens!
3 Kad Gibeonas iemītnieki uzzināja, ko Jozua bija izdarījis ar Jēriku un Aju, 4 tie rīkojās ar viltu – gāja, sagādāja iztiku, uzkrāva saviem ēzeļiem izdilušus maisus un apdilušus vīna maisus, kas jau bija cauri un saplīsuši, 5 un kājās tie āva novalkātas un noplēstas sandales, un tiem bija apvalkātas drēbes, un viņu iztikas maize bija sakaltusi un sapelējusi. 6 Tie devās pie Jozuas uz nometni Gilgālā un teica viņam un Israēla vīriem: “Mēs nākam no tālas zemes, slēdziet nu ar mums derību!” 7 Bet Israēla vīri teica hiviešiem: “Varbūt jūs mītat tepat pie mums – kā tad lai slēdzam ar jums derību?” 8 Bet tie teica Jozuam: “Mēs esam tavi kalpi!” Un Jozua tiem sacīja: “Kas jūs tādi? No kurienes jūs esat?” 9 Un tie viņam teica: “Tavi kalpi nāk no ļoti tālas zemes – Kunga, tava Dieva, slavas dēļ! Jo mums ir zināma viņa slava un viss, ko viņš darījis Ēģiptē! 10 Un arī tas, ko viņš izdarījis abiem amoriešu ķēniņiem, kas mita viņpus Jardānas – Hešbonas ķēniņam Sīhonam un Bāšānas ķēniņam Ogam, kas Aštārotā! 11 Un mūsu vecajie un visi, kas dzīvo mūsu zemē, mums teica: ņemiet iztiku ceļam, ejiet tiem pretī un sakiet: mēs esam jūsu kalpi! Slēdziet nu tagad ar mums derību! 12 Te ir mūsu maize! Tā bija silta, kad savās mājās mēs to ņēmām iztikai todien, kad devāmies ceļā pie jums, bet tagad, redzi, tā ir sakaltusi un sapelējusi! 13 Un šie vīna maisi, kad tos piepildījām, bija jauni, bet tagad, redzi, tie ir cauri! Un mūsu drānas un sandales tālajā ceļā ir novalkātas!” 14 Tad vīri dalījās ar tiem iztikā, bet Kungam nepajautāja. 15 Un Jozua ar tiem noslēdza mieru un derību, ka atstās tos dzīvus, un sapulces vadoņi viņiem zvērēja.
16 Bet trīs dienas pēc tam, kad ar tiem bija noslēgta derība, viņi uzzināja, ka tie ir tepat no tuvienes un ka tie mīt tepat viņiem blakus. 17 Un Israēla dēli devās ceļā un trešajā dienā sasniedza viņu pilsētas. Viņu pilsētas bija Gibeona, Kefīra, Beērota un Kirjat-Jeārīma. 18 Israēla dēli viņus nenokāva, jo sapulces vadoņi tiem bija zvērējuši pie Kunga, Israēla Dieva. Bet visa sapulce kurnēja pret saviem vadoņiem. 19 Un vadoņi teica visai sapulcei: “Mēs viņiem esam zvērējuši pie Kunga, Israēla Dieva, tagad mēs viņus nedrīkstam aiztikt! 20 Darīsim tā – atstāsim tos dzīvus, ka pār mums nenāk dusmas zvēresta dēļ, ko esam zvērējuši!” 21 Un vadoņi teica viņiem: “Lai tie paliek dzīvi un kļūst par malkas cirtējiem un ūdens smēlējiem visai sapulcei.” Tā vadoņi par viņiem lēma. 22 Tad Jozua sasauca tos un sacīja tiem: “Kādēļ jūs pievīlāt mūs, sacīdami, ka esat no tālienes, kaut gan bijāt tepat no tuvienes!? 23 Tagad esiet nolādēti un nolemti verdzībai, malkas ciršanai un ūdens smelšanai mūsu Dieva namam!” 24 Bet tie atbildēja Jozuam un sacīja: “Tas tāpēc, ka taviem kalpiem bija daudz stāstīts, ko Kungs, tavs Dievs, pavēlējis savam kalpam Mozum – ka atdos jums visu šo zemi, lai jūsu priekšā iznīcinātu visas šīs zemes tautas. Tad nu mēs jūsu dēļ baidījāmies par savām dzīvībām un tā izdarījām. 25 Tagad, redzi, mēs esam tavās rokās! Kā tev šķiet labi un pareizi, tā ar mums dari!” 26 Un tā viņš tiem darīja – izglāba tos no Israēla dēlu rokas, un tie tos nenokāva. 27 Todien Jozua viņus padarīja par malkas cirtējiem un ūdens smēlējiem visai sapulcei un Kunga altārim, vietā, ko viņš sev izraudzījis, – tā tas ir līdz šai dienai.
