³ But when the inhabitants of ^(A)Gibeon ^(B)heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, ⁴ they worked craftily, and went and ^[a]pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and ^[b]mended, ⁵ old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. ⁶ And they went to Joshua, ^(C)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 ^[c]covenant with us.”

⁷ Then the men of Israel said to the ^(D)Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so ^(E)how can we make a covenant with you?”

⁸ But they said to Joshua, ^(F)“We are your servants.”

And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

⁹ So they said to him: ^(G)“From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have ^(H)heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and ^(I)all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. ¹¹ Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ ¹² This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. ¹³ And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”

¹⁴ Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; ^(J)but they ^[d]did not ask counsel of the Lord. ¹⁵ So Joshua ^(K)made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.