Chapter 38


1

And it came to pass that when all the kings which were on this side of Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea,

2

Even the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard of the might of יהוה (YHVH) that they did gather themselves together to deal with Joshua and with Israel with one accord.

3

And so it was that when the inhabitants of Gibeon gleaned what יהוה (YHVH) had done unto the elohim of Jericho and to the elohim of Ay they did take up old sacks upon their asses and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up,

4

And old shoes, and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy to seek the pity of Israel.

5

And they went down unto Joshua unto the camp and did speak unto him and to the men of Israel, saying:

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We have come now to serve יהוה (YHVH); therefore, would ye take us in, and make ye a league with us, we would be counted as one with you

7

¶ And it came to pass that Joshua did speak unto all these, saying: Should ye dwell among us, and how then shall we make you one with us?

8

And they did speak as one unto Joshua, saying: We are thy servants.

9

And so it was that Joshua did ask of them: Who are ye? And from whence come ye?

10

And they did answer him, saying: From the very countries of the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite thy servants are come;

11

And this because of the name of יהוה (YHVH), thy Elohim; for we have heard the fame of יהוה (YHVH) and all that He did for His Israel in Egypt,

12

And all that יהוה (YHVH) 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 and יהוה (YHVH) did slay their elohim.

13

Wherefore, our wise men and all the inhabitants of our country did speak unto us, saying: Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them,

14

And do say unto them: We are your servants; therefore, now make ye peace with us that we be one with Israel and share in the strength of יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel.

15

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 moldy.

16

And see these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and behold, they be rent; and these our garments and our shoes are become old,

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For the elohim of this land hath fled before יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel.

18

¶ And it came to pass that Joshua did make peace with them and he did take them in, to let them live and become adopted into the tribes of Israel.

19

¶ And it came to pass that the kings of that land, and the princes of the congregation did sware the same oath unto יהוה (YHVH) that Israel did in the days of Moses and Zipporah, and Aaron and Miriam, saying:

20

All that יהוה (YHVH) hath spoken, we will do.

21

And so it was that at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that the children of Israel did journey; and they did come unto their cities on the third day.

22

And the children of Israel smote them not because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel.

23

And all the congregation of those lands did murmur against their princes, but all the princes did speak unto all their congregation, saying:

24

We have sworn unto them by יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel; now, therefore, we may not touch them, and they shall not utterly destroy us.

25

But יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel, shall be our Elohim, because it was certainly told that יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel did command his servant Moses to give all the land unto Israel and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land.

26

Therefore, we were sore afraid of our lives because of our elohim did flee from before יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel.

27

And now, behold, we are in thine hand; as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

28

And so it was that in that day, the peoples of those lands did become one with Israel and were adopted into the children of Israel, that Israel did slay them not.

29

And Joshua did divide them up by their families into the tribes of Israel that they be counted in the congregation of Israel.

30

¶ And it came to pass that the war that was between the elohim of the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, and יהוה (YHVH), the Elohim of Israel did come to an end before it could begin, and יהוה (YHVH) was once more undefeated.