BOYS OF THE BIBLE. 171

“Who are ye? and from whence came ye?” asked
Joshua somewhat sternly.

We can well imagine the Gibeonites bowing even lower
still as they replied:

“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, which was at Ashtaroth. Wherefore our elders and
all the inhabitants spake to us saying: ‘Take victuals with
you for the journey, and go to meet them and say unto
them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league.”

Then this miserable band of tramps made an exhibition
of their wretchedness. They called attention to their dry,
hard, mouldy bread, to their rent wine-bottles, to their worn
and clouted shoes, and to their scant and tattered garments.

Joshua was fairly deceived. His pity and commiseration
had been worked upon; he made peace with them and made
a league with them. And princes of the congregation—
these were the chief officers of Israel—swore a solemn oath
of fealty to this hungry, ill-clad, half-starved crowd.

They had gained their purpose by craft and cunning,
and even though their meanness and trickery should be dis-
covered they knew they were perfectly safe. They knew the
Israelites would never go back on any promise they had
sworn in the name. of the Lord God of Hosts. Their safety
lay in Israel’s honor. ‘These Gibeonites were probably not
the first men, and they certainly were not the last, who
traded falsely and dishonestly on the truth and constancy of
others.

Three days had scarcely passed before the secret was