When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they worked craftily and pretended to be ambassadors. They took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. They went to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us." The men of Israel questioned whether they dwelt among them, but the Gibeonites insisted they were servants from a distant land, citing the fame of the LORD their God and His deeds in Egypt and against the Amorite kings. They presented their worn provisions as evidence of a long journey, and though the Israelites took some of their supplies, they did not seek counsel from the LORD. Consequently, Joshua made peace with them, forming a covenant to let them live, and the rulers of the congregation swore to them. Gibeon was a significant city in the area later allotted to Benjamin, near Jebus, and its people, the Hivites, descendants of Canaan, resorted to deception to save themselves, unlike other Canaanites who chose to fight. Their masterful disguises and cunning answers convinced the Israelites, who judged by appearances, leading to the success of their subterfuge.