C06 The Gibeonites Deceive Joshua Poem by Simple Simon

Joshua built on Mount Ebal,
An altar for God of Israel.
Burnt sacrifices, he offered.
The Book of Law, he read.

His victories became well-known,
To the kings, west of Jordan,
They all joined as one,
In order to fight and to win.

But people of Gibeon,
Had their own cunning plan,
Israelites' sympathy to earn,
And their favour to win.

They told Joshua, 'We heard
You’ve the mercy of God.
We're from a distant place,
Here, to seek the Lord's grace.'

'You can see our food
Isn't so fresh and good,
Our dresses are torn shabbily
And sandals worn out badly.'

'We came all the way
To this place today,
With you to make a treaty
And live here in amity.'

Joshua saw their hardship.
He accepted their friendship.
But soon, he came to know,
They staged a false show.

For them, he lost his pity,
But having made a treaty,
He allowed them to live
But made them his slaves.

He assigned them duties
As arduous wood-cutters
And potable water-carriers
For the rest of their lives