9:1 約旦河西，住山地、高原，並對著黎巴嫩山沿大海一帶的諸王，就是赫人、亞摩利人、迦南人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的諸王，聽見這事，
9:2 就都聚集，同心合意地要與約書亞和以色列人爭戰。
9:3 基遍的居民聽見約書亞向耶利哥和艾城所行的事，
9:4 就設詭計，假充使者，拿舊口袋和破裂縫補的舊皮酒袋馱在驢上，
9:5 將補過的舊鞋穿在腳上，把舊衣服穿在身上；他們所帶的餅都是乾的，長了霉了。
9:6 他們到吉甲營中見約書亞，對他和以色列人說：「我們是從遠方來的，現在求你與我們立約。」
9:7 以色列人對這些希未人說：「只怕你們是住在我們中間的；若是這樣，怎能和你們立約呢？」
9:8 他們對約書亞說：「我們是你的僕人。」約書亞問他們說：「你們是甚麼人？是從哪裡來的？」
9:9 他們回答說：「僕人從極遠之地而來，是因聽見耶和華─你上帝的名聲和他在埃及所行的一切事，
9:10 並他向約旦河東的兩個亞摩利王，就是希實本王西宏和在亞斯他錄的巴珊王噩一切所行的事。
9:11 我們的長老和我們那地的一切居民對我們說：『你們手裡要帶著路上用的食物去迎接以色列人，對他們說：我們是你們的僕人；現在求你們與我們立約。』
9:12 我們出來要往你們這裡來的日子，從家裡帶出來的這餅還是熱的；看哪，現在都乾了，長了霉了。
9:13 這皮酒袋，我們盛酒的時候還是新的；看哪，現在已經破裂。我們這衣服和鞋，因為道路甚遠，也都穿舊了。」
9:14 以色列人受了他們些食物，並沒有求問耶和華。
9:15 於是約書亞與他們講和，與他們立約，容他們活著；會眾的首領也向他們起誓。
9:16 以色列人與他們立約之後，過了三天才聽見他們是近鄰，住在以色列人中間的。
9:17 以色列人起行，第三天到了他們的城邑，就是基遍、基非拉、比錄、基列‧耶琳。
9:18 因為會眾的首領已經指著耶和華─以色列的上帝向他們起誓，所以以色列人不擊殺他們；全會眾就向首領發怨言。
9:19 眾首領對全會眾說：「我們已經指著耶和華─以色列的上帝向他們起誓，現在我們不能害他們。
9:20 我們要如此待他們，容他們活著，免得有忿怒因我們所起的誓臨到我們身上。」
9:21 首領又對會眾說：「要容他們活著。」於是他們為全會眾作了劈柴挑水的人，正如首領對他們所說的話。
9:22 約書亞召了他們來，對他們說：「為甚麼欺哄我們說『我們離你們甚遠』呢？其實你們是住在我們中間。
9:23 現在你們是被咒詛的！你們中間的人必斷不了作奴僕，為我上帝的殿作劈柴挑水的人。」
9:24 他們回答約書亞說：「因為有人實在告訴你的僕人，耶和華─你的上帝曾吩咐他的僕人摩西，把這全地賜給你們，並在你們面前滅絕這地的一切居民，所以我們為你們的緣故甚怕喪命，就行了這事。
9:25 現在我們在你手中，你以怎樣待我們為善為正，就怎樣做吧！」
9:26 於是約書亞這樣待他們，救他們脫離以色列人的手，以色列人就沒有殺他們。
9:27 當日約書亞使他們在耶和華所要選擇的地方，為會眾和耶和華的壇作劈柴挑水的人，直到今日。
Now when all the kings
west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in
the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as
far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,
Hivites and Jebusites)— 2 they came together to wage war
against Joshua and Israel.
3 However,
when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they
resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded[a] with worn-out
sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn
and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their
food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in
the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a
distant country; make a treaty with us.”
7 The
Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we
make a treaty with you?”
8 “We
are your servants,” they said to Joshua.
But
Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”
9 They
answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the
fame of the Lord your God. For we
have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all
that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of
Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And
our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for
your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a
treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed
it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it
is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how
cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long
journey.”
14 The
Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua
made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the
assembly ratified it by oath.
16 Three
days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that
they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set
out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and
Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them,
because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.
The
whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the
leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20 This
is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not
fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” 21 They
continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in
the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.
22 Then
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We
live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You
are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters
and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24 They
answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant
Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from
before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did
this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good
and right to you.”
26 So
Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That
day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to
provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord
at the place the Lord would
choose. And that is what they are to this day.
**********
說到基遍的居民為了求活命，假裝從遠處來的人，讓以色列人失察與他們立和平的約，讓人覺得他們很狡猾，怎麼可以這樣騙人呢？但是以色列人也是要為自己的言行負責，因為他們「以色列人受了他們些食物，並沒有求問耶和華！」
從以色列人和基遍人的事蹟，我們感受到禱告尋求上的多麼重要，因為我們的仇敵魔鬼就是詐騙的專家！所以，保羅說：「靠著聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求；並要在此警醒不倦，為眾聖徒祈求！」(以弗所書6:18)
不僅要為自己不受騙禱告，也要為眾聖徒禱告！正如保羅也說：「那等人是假使徒，行事詭詐，裝作基督使徒的模樣。這也不足為怪，因為連撒但也裝作光明的天使。」(哥林多後書11:13-14)
而要防止被魔鬼和牠的僕役詐騙的事，就是要熟讀聖經，不斷的在聖靈裡禱告，才會知道他們的詭計，如此我們就不會受騙！
.jpg)
