²⁸ But they said, “We have certainly seen that the Lord ^(A)is with you. So we said, ‘Let there now be an oath between us, between you and us; and let us make a ^[a]covenant with you,

^12 (A)Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst.

² and when the Lord your God delivers ^(A)them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. ^(B)You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them.

⁷ Then the men of Israel said to the ^(A)Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so ^(B)how can we make a covenant with you?”

² And ^(A)you shall make no ^[a]covenant with the inhabitants of this land; ^(B)you shall tear down their altars.’ ^(C)But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?

Saul Saves Jabesh Gilead

11 Then ^(A)Nahash the Ammonite came up and ^[a]encamped against ^(B)Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, ^(C)“Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you.”

¹⁹ “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.”

³⁴ So Ben-Hadad said to him, ^(A)“The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”

Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.

^13 (A)And he took the king’s offspring, made a covenant with him, ^(B)and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,