Bible in Basic English
"Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?"
— Joshua 9:22, Bible in Basic English
“And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?”
“And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? ”
“Joshua 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?”
“Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them,“Why did you trick us by saying,‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby?”
“Josue called the Gabaonites and said to them: Why would you impose upon us, saying: We dwell far off from you, whereas you are in the midst of us?”
But all the chiefs said to the people, We have taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and so we may not put our hands on them.
This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.
Keep them living, and let them be servants, cutting wood and getting water for all the people. And all the people did as the chiefs had said to them.
Then Joshua sent for them, and said to them, Why have you been false to us, saying, We are very far from you, when you are living among us?
Now because of this you are cursed, and you will for ever be our servants, cutting wood and getting water for the house of my God.
And, answering Joshua, they said, Because it came to the ears of your servants that the Lord your God had given orders to his servant Moses to give you all this land, and to send destruction on all the people living in it, because of you; so, fearing greatly for our lives because of you, we have done this.
And now we are in your hands: do to us whatever seems good and right to you.