And it came to pass, when all the kingswhichwere on thissideJordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea overagainstLebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heardthereof;
And theywent to Joshuaunto the camp at Gilgal, and saidunto him, and to the men of Israel, We be comefrom a far country: now thereforemake ye a leaguewith us.
And theysaidunto him, From a very far country thy servants are comebecause of the name of the LORD thy God: for we haveheard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our countryspake to us, saying, Takevictualswith you for the journey, and go to meetthem, and say untothem, We are yourservants: therefore now make ye a leaguewith us.
And thesebottles 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 verylongjourney.
And the children of Israeljourneyed, and cameuntotheircities on the third day. Now theircitieswereGibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
And the children of Israelsmotethem not, because the princes of the congregation had swornuntothem by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregationmurmuredagainst the princes.
And the princessaiduntothem, Let themlive; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of waterunto all the congregation; as the princes had promisedthem.
And theyansweredJoshua, and said, Because it was certainlytold thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servantMoses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the landfrombefore you, therefore we weresoreafraid of our livesbecause of you, and havedonethisthing.
And Joshuamadethemthat day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, evenuntothis day, in the placewhich he shouldchoose.