Joshua 9:3–17

³But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,^{* 4}they on their part acted with cunning: they went and prepared provisions^q and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys and wineskins, worn out and torn and mended, ⁵with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet and worn-out clothes, and all their provisions were dry and moldy. ⁶They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the Israelites, “We have come from a far country, so now make a treaty with us.”^{* 7}But the Israelites said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a treaty with you?”^{* 8}They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?”^{* 9}They said to him, “Your servants have come from a very far country because of the name of the Lord your God, for we have heard a report of him, of all that he did in Egypt^{* 10}and of all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth.^{* 11}So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey; go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; come now, make a treaty with us.” ’ ¹²Here is our bread; it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and moldy; ¹³these wineskins were new when we filled them, and see, they are burst, and these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” ¹⁴So the leaders^r partook of their provisions and did not ask direction from the Lord.^{* 15}And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.^*

¹⁶But when three days had passed after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and were living among them. ¹⁷So the Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.^*