oshua to the camp at Gilgal,
and said to him, and to the men of Israel, "We are come from a far
country: now therefore make ye a covenant with us."

And the men of Israel said unto the Gibeonites, "Perhaps {301} ye
dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?"

And they said to Joshua, "We are thy servants."

And Joshua said to them, "Who are ye? and from whence come ye?"

And they said unto him, "From a very far country thy servants are come
because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of
him, and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two
kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of
Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan. And our elders and all the
inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, 'Take provision in
your hand for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We
are your servants: and now make ye a covenant with us.' This bread we
took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth
to go to you; but now, behold, it is dry, and is become mouldy: and
these wine skins, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they are
rent: and these garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the
very long journey."

And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the Lord.

And Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them, to let
them live: and the princes of the congregation swore unto them. And it
came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant
with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that
they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel {302} journeyed, and
came to their cities on the third day. And the children of Israel
smote them not, because the princes of the host had sworn unto them by
the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the host murmured against the
princes. But all the princes said unto all the host, "We have sworn
unto them by the Lord, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not
touch them. This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be
upon us, because of the oath which we swore unto them." And the
princes said unto them, "Let them live: so they become hewers of wood
and drawers of water to all the people;" as the princes had spoken
unto them.

And Joshua called for them, and he spoke unto them, saying, "Wherefore
have ye tricked us, saying, 'We are very far from you'; when ye dwell
among us? Now therefore ye