1. All the kings west of the Jordan River heard about these things: the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. They lived in the mountains and on the western hills and along the whole Mediterranean Sea coast.
2. So all these kings gathered to fight Joshua and the Israelites.
3. When the people of Gibeon heard how Joshua had defeated Jericho and Ai,
4. they decided to trick the Israelites. They gathered old sacks and old leather wine bags that were cracked and mended, and they put them on the backs of their donkeys.
5. They put old sandals on their feet and wore old clothes, and they took some dry, moldy bread.
6. Then they went to Joshua in the camp near Gilgal.The men said to Joshua and the Israelites, “We have traveled from a faraway country. Make a peace agreement with us.”
7. The Israelites said to these Hivites, “Maybe you live near us. How can we make a peace agreement with you?”
8. The Hivites said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”But Joshua asked, “Who are you? Where do you come from?”