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9:1  All the kings ·west of [L beyond] the Jordan River heard about these things: the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. They lived in the ·mountains [hill country] and ·on the western foothills [or in the lowlands/L Shephelah] and along the whole ·Mediterranean [L Great] Sea coast.
9:2  So all these kings gathered to fight Joshua and the Israelites.
9:3  When the ·people [inhabitants] of Gibeon heard ·how Joshua had defeated [L what Joshua had done to] Jericho and Ai,
9:4  they decided to trick the Israelites. They gathered old sacks and old ·leather wine bags [wineskins] that were cracked and mended, and they put them on the backs of their donkeys.
9:5  They put ·old [L worn and patched] sandals on their feet and wore ·old [ragged] clothes, and they took some dry, ·moldy [or crumbling] bread.
9:6  Then they went to Joshua in the camp near Gilgal [4:19]. The men said to Joshua and the ·Israelites [L men of Israel], “We have traveled from a faraway country. Make a peace ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with us.”
9:7  The ·Israelites [men of Israel] said to these Hivites, “Maybe you live near us. How can we make a peace ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with you [Deut. 20:10–18]?”
9:8  The Hivites said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” But Joshua asked, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
9:9  The men answered, “We are your servants who have come from a far country, because we heard of the ·fame [reputation; L name] of the Lord your God. We heard about what he has done and everything he did in Egypt.
9:10  We heard that he defeated the two kings of the Amorites ·from the east side of [L who were beyond] the Jordan River—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan who ·ruled [L was] in Ashtaroth.
9:11  So our elders and ·our people [L all the inhabitants of our country] said to us, ‘Take ·food [provisions] for your journey and go and meet ·the Israelites [L them]. Tell them, “We are your servants. Make a peace ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with us.” ’
9:12  “Look at our bread. On the day we left home to come to you it was warm and fresh, but now [L look; T behold] it is dry and ·moldy [or crumbling].
9:13  Look at our ·leather wine bags [wineskins]. They were new and filled with wine, but now they ·are cracked and old [are ripped; or have burst]. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long journey.”
9:14  The men of Israel ·tasted [or examined; L took some of] the bread, but they did not ·ask the Lord what to do [seek the Lord’s guidance].
9:15  So Joshua agreed to make peace with the Gibeonites and to let them live. And the leaders of the Israelites ·swore an oath to keep the agreement [L swore to them].
9:16  Three days after they had made the ·agreement [covenant; treaty], the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites ·lived nearby [L were neighbors and lived in their midst].
9:17  So the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] went to where they lived and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
9:18  But the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] did not attack those cities, because they had ·made a promise [L sworn] to them before the Lord, the God of Israel. ·All the Israelites [The whole assembly/congregation] grumbled against the leaders.
9:19  But [L all] the leaders answered, “We ·have given our promise [L swore (an oath)] before the Lord, the God of Israel, so we cannot ·attack [L touch] them now.
9:20  This is what we must do. We must let them live. Otherwise, ·God’s anger [L wrath] will ·be against [come upon] us for breaking the oath we swore to them.
9:21  So let them live, but they will cut wood and carry water for ·our people [the whole congregation].” ·So the leaders kept their promise to them [or…as the leaders had decided].
9:22  Joshua called for the Gibeonites and asked, “Why did you ·lie to [deceive; trick] us? ·Your land was near our camp [L You live among us], but you told us you were from a far country.
9:23  Now, you will be placed under a curse to ·be our slaves [never cease being slaves/servants]. You will have to cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.”
9:24  The Gibeonites answered Joshua, “We lied to you because we were afraid you would kill us. ·We heard [L It was clearly/with certainty reported to your servants] that the Lord your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all of this land and to ·kill [destroy] all the people who lived in it [Deut. 20:15–18]. That is why we did this.
9:25  Now [L look; T behold] ·you can decide what [L we are in your hands] to do with us, whatever you think is right.”
9:26  So Joshua saved their lives by not allowing the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] to kill them,
9:27  but he made the Gibeonites slaves. They cut wood and carried water for the Israelites, and they did it for the altar of the Lord—·wherever he chose it to be [L at the place that he would choose; 1 Sam. 4:3; 1 Kin. 9:3]. They are still doing this today [2 Sam. 21:1–14].