³ But the people of Gibeon, who were Hivites, heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, ⁴ and they decided to deceive him. They went and got some food and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and patched-up wineskins. ⁵ They put on ragged clothes and worn-out sandals that had been mended. The bread they took with them was dry and moldy. ⁶ Then they went to the camp at Gilgal and said to Joshua and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant land. We want you to make a treaty with us.”

^7 (A)But the Israelites said, “Why should we make a treaty with you? Maybe you live nearby.”

⁸ They said to Joshua, “We are at your service.”

Joshua asked them, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”

⁹ Then they told him this story: “We have come from a very distant land, sir, because we have heard of the Lord your God. We have heard about everything that he did in Egypt ^10 (B)and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan: King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. ¹¹ Our leaders and all the people that live in our land told us to get some food ready for a trip and to go and meet you. We were told to put ourselves at your service and ask you to make a treaty with us. ¹² Look at our bread. When we left home with it and started out to meet you, it was still warm. But look! Now it is dry and moldy. ¹³ When we filled these wineskins, they were new, but look! They are torn. Our clothes and sandals are worn out from the long trip.”

¹⁴ The Israelites accepted some food from them, but did not consult the Lord about it. ¹⁵ Joshua made a treaty of friendship with the people of Gibeon and allowed them to live. The leaders of the community of Israel gave their solemn promise to keep the treaty.