A curious coincidence of circumstances is related by Livy, the Roman historian. He writes that "when three ambassadors were sent from Rome to complain of the perfidious conduct of the Aqui, the General informed them, that they might deliver their message to an oak which shaded his tent." On this one of the ambassadors turning away, said, "This venerable oak, and all the gods, shall know that you have violated the peace; they shall now hear our complaints; and may they also soon be witnesses, when we revenge with our arms the violation of divine and human rights." It is worthy of remark that Joshua merely set up a pillar under an oak - the one, perhaps, to protect the other; while the General directed the ambassadors to address the oak, perhaps with an idolatrous feeling that they were addressing one of the gods, who would aid his cause; while the Roman ambassadors caught the feeling, and really invoked the aid of the oak and the gods. "But¹ [that] it¹ [may be] a witnessª between¹ us, and you, and our generationsª afterª us, that we might doª°¹ the serviceª of the LORDª beforeª him with our burnt offerings,ª and with our sacrifices,ª and with our peace offerings;ª that your childrenª may not¹ sayª° to our childrenª in time to come,ª Ye have no¹ partª in the LORD.ª ... Therefore saidª° we, that it shall be,¹ when¹ they should [so] sayª° to¹ us or to¹ our generationsª in time to come,ª that we may sayª° [again], Beholdª°¹ the patternª of the altarª of the LORD,ª which¹ our fathersª made,ª° not¹ for burnt offerings,ª nor¹ for sacrifices;ª but¹ it¹ [is] a witnessª between¹ us and you." {Jsh 22:27-28} + "And the childrenª of Reubenª and the childrenª of Gadª calledª° the altarª [Ed]: for¹ it¹ [shall be] a witnessª between¹ us that¹ the LORDª [is] God.ª" {Jsh 22:34} + "Now¹ therefore come¹ thou,²° let us makeª° a covenant,ª I¹ and thou;¹ and let it be¹ for a witnessª between¹ me and thee. ... This¹ heapª [be] witness,ª and [this] pillarª [be] witness,ª that¹ I¹ will not¹ pass overª°¹ this¹ heapª to¹ thee, and that¹ thou¹ shalt not¹ pass overª°¹ this¹ heapª and this¹ pillarª unto¹ me, for harm.ª" {Gen 31:44-52} + "I callª°¹ heavenª and earthª to witnessª° against you this day,ª that¹ ye shall soonª utterly²° perishª° from off¹¹ the landª whereunto¹¹ ye¹ go overª°¹ Jordanª to possessª° it; ye shall not¹ prolongª° [your] daysª upon¹ it, but¹ shall utterly²° be destroyed.ª°" {Deu 4:26} + "I callª°¹ heavenª and earthª to record²° this dayª against you, [that] I have setª° beforeª you lifeª and death,ª blessingª and cursing:ª therefore chooseª° life,ª that¹ both thou¹ and thy seedª may live:ª°" {Deu 30:19} + "Now¹ therefore writeª°¹ ye this¹ songª for you, and teachª° it¹ the childrenª of Israel:ª putª° it in their mouths,ª that¹ this¹ songª may be¹ a witnessª for me against the childrenª of Israel.ª" {Deu 31:19} + "And it shall come to pass,¹ when¹ manyª evilsª and troublesª are befallenª° them, that this¹ songª shall testifyª° againstª them as a witness;ª for¹ it shall not¹ be forgottenª° out of the mouthsª¹ of their seed:ª for¹ I knowª°¹ their imaginationª which¹ they¹ go about,ª° even now,ª before¹ I have broughtª° them into¹ the landª which¹ I sware.ª°" {Deu 31:21} + "Takeª°¹ this¹ bookª of the law,ª and putª° it in the sideª¹ of the arkª of the covenantª of the LORDª your God,ª that it may be¹ there¹ for a witnessª against thee." {Deu 31:26} + "Then Samuelª tookª° aª stone,ª and setª° [it] between¹ Mizpehª and Shen,ª and calledª°¹ the nameª of it Ebenezer,ª saying,ª° Hitherto¹¹ hath the LORDª helpedª° us." {1Sm 7:12}