1It happened, when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard of it
1迦南諸王聯盟對抗以色列人在約旦河西，住在山上、高原和對著黎巴嫩山大海沿岸所有的王，就是赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的王，聽見了這些事的時候，
2that they gathered themselves together to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
2就聚集起來，同心協力地要與約書亞和以色列人交戰。
3But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,
3基遍人計騙約書亞基遍的居民聽見了約書亞向耶利哥和艾城所行的事，
4they also resorted to a ruse, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins, old and torn and bound up,
4就施詭計，假冒使者而來，把舊的布袋和破裂又修補過的舊皮酒袋馱在驢上，
5and old and patched shoes on their feet, and wore old garments. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
5腳上穿著補過的舊鞋，身穿舊衣服，所帶的食物又乾又碎。
6They went to Joshua to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him, and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now therefore make a covenant with us.”
6他們去到吉甲營中約書亞那裡，對約書亞和以色列人說：“我們是從遠地來的，現在求你們和我們立約。”
7The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “What if you live among us. How could we make a covenant with you?”
7以色列人對這些希未人說：“你們也許是這地的居民，若是這樣，我們怎樣和你們立約呢？”
8They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Joshua said to them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”
8他們對約書亞說：“我們是你的僕人。”約書亞問他們：“你們是甚麼人？是從哪裡來的？”
9They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of Yahweh your God; for we have heard of his fame, all that he did in Egypt,
9他們回答約書亞：“你的僕人為了耶和華你 神的名從很遠的地方而來，因為我們聽見了他的名聲和他在埃及所行的一切事，
10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.
10以及他對約旦河東亞摩利人的兩個王，就是希實本王西宏和在亞斯他錄的巴珊王噩，所行的一切事。
11Our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provision in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and tell them, “We are your servants. Now make a covenant with us.”’
11所以我們的長老和我們本國所有的居民對我們說：‘你們手裡要帶著旅途用的乾糧，去迎見以色列人，對他們說：我們是你們的僕人，現在求你們和我們立約。’
12This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we went out to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and has become moldy.
12我們出門到你們這裡來的時候，從家裡帶出來作乾糧的這餅還是熱的；看哪，現在都又乾又碎了。
13These wineskins, which we filled, were new; and behold, they are torn. These our garments and our shoes have become old because of the very long journey.”
13這些皮酒袋，我們盛酒的時候，還是新的；你看，現在都破裂了。我們這些衣服和鞋因路途遙遠，都穿舊了。”
14The men sampled their provisions, and didn’t ask counsel from the mouth of Yahweh.
14以色列人取了他們一些食物，卻沒有求問耶和華的旨意。
15Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let them live. The princes of the congregation swore to them.
15於是約書亞與他們議和，和他們立約，容他們存活；會眾的首領也向他們起了誓。
16It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them.
16以色列人奴役基遍人以色列人和他們立約之後，過了三天，才聽見他們是自己的近鄰，是住在這地的居民。
17The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
17於是，以色列人起程，第三日就到了他們的城市；他們的城市就是基遍、基非拉、比錄、基列．耶琳。
18The children of Israel didn’t strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
18以色列人沒有擊殺他們，因為會眾的首領曾經指著耶和華以色列的 神向他們起了誓，全體會眾就都向首領發怨言。
19But all the princes said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
19眾首領對全體會眾說：“我們曾經指著耶和華以色列的 神向他們起了誓，現在我們不能傷害他們。
20This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”
20我們要這樣待他們，就是容他們存活，免得 神的忿怒因我們向他們所起的誓，臨到我們身上。”
21The princes said to them, “Let them live, so they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the princes had spoken to them.”
21眾首領又對會眾說：“要讓他們存活。”於是他們就給全體會眾作了劈柴打水的人，這是按照眾首領對他們的吩咐。
22Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, ‘We are very far from you,’ when you live among us?
22約書亞把他們召了來，質問他們：“你們為甚麼欺騙我們說：‘我們離你們很遠’，其實你們卻是住在這地的？
23Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God.”
23現在你們要受到咒詛，你們中間必不斷有人作奴僕，為我 神的聖所作劈柴打水的人。”
24They answered Joshua, and said, “Because your servants were certainly told how Yahweh your 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 very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
24他們回答約書亞，說：“因為你的僕人確實地聽見，耶和華你的 神曾經吩咐他的僕人摩西，要把這整片土地賜給你們，並且要在你們面前把這地上所有的居民都消滅，因此，我們因你們的緣故，很怕喪命，才行了這事。
25Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do.”
25現在，你看，我們都在你的手裡，你看怎樣處置我們算為好、算為對，就怎樣行吧。”
26He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they didn’t kill them.
26約書亞就這樣處置他們，救了他們脫離以色列人的手，以色列人就沒有殺他們。
27That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place which he should choose.
27在那一天，約書亞指派他們在耶和華選擇的地方，為會眾和耶和華的祭壇作劈柴打水的人，直到今日。