Joshua 9:3-13

Revised Geneva Translation

³ But the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai.

⁴ And therefore they worked craftily. They went, and pretended to be ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their donkeys, and old bottles for wine, both torn and mended,

⁵ and old spotted shoes upon their feet. Also the clothing upon them was old, and all their provision of bread was dried and molded.

⁶ So they came to Joshua, into the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country. Now, therefore, make an alliance with us.”

⁷ Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “It may be that you dwell among us; how, then, can I make an alliance with you?”

⁸ And they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” Then Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And from where have you come?”

⁹ And they answered him, “Your servants have come from a very far country for the Name of the LORD your God. For we have heard His fame and all that He has done in Egypt,

¹⁰ “and all that He has done to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond Jordan—to Sihon, king of Heshbon and to Og, king of Bashan— who were 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 an alliance with us.”’

¹² “This, our bread, we took hot with us out of our houses for provisions the day we departed to come to you. But now, behold, it is dried and it is molded.

¹³ “Also, these bottles of wine which we filled were new. And lo, they are torn. And these our garments and our shoes are old by reason of the exceedingly great journey.”