But the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai,

And so they too acted craftily. And they went out as though they were envoys; and they took old sacks upon their donkeys, and old torn up and bound up wineskins,

And old patched sandals on their feet, and old garments upon themselves; and all the bread of their provisions was dry and had become moldy.

And they went to Joshua at the camp of Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, From a faraway land we have come; now therefore make a covenant with us.

And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Perhaps you dwell among us. How then can we make a covenant with you?

And they said to Joshua, We will be your servants. And Joshua said to them, Who are you, and where are you coming from?

And they said to him, From a very far land your servants have come because of the name of Jehovah your God, for we have heard reports of Him and all that He did in Egypt

And all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were across the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon and to Og the king of Bashan, who was in Ashtaroth.

So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land spoke to us, saying, Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We will be your servants; make then a covenant with us.

This bread of ours was hot when we took it for our provisions from our houses on the day we went forth to come to you; and here it now is: it is dry and has become moldy.

And these wineskins, which we filled, were new; and here they are: they are torn up. And these clothes and sandals of ours have become old because of the very long journey.

And the men took some of their provisions, but they did not ask for the counsel of Jehovah.

And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to them.

Then at the end of three days, after they had made the covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.

And the children of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

And the children of Israel did not strike them, for the leaders of the assembly had sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel; and all the assembly murmured against the leaders.

Then all the leaders said to all the assembly, We have sworn to them by Jehovah the God of Israel; therefore now we cannot touch them.

This we will do with them and let them live, so that wrath does not come upon us because of the oath that we swore to them.

And the leaders said to them, Let them live. So they became woodcutters and drawers of water for all the assembly, as the leaders had said concerning them.

Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?