יהושע, פרק ט׳, פסוק י״ב

Having successfully eased the initial suspicions of the Israelites, the travelers seek to provide undeniable, physical proof that they have journeyed from a remarkably distant land [מלבי״ם]. To support their claim, they present their food provisions as evidence. They draw attention to their bread, making a point to emphasize that it was hot and fresh when they first gathered it from their homes to prepare for the road. This specific detail is meant to counter any assumption that they simply packed dry bread to begin with.

Now, however, the bread is completely dried out and crumbly. They argue that this extreme staleness is a direct result of the vast amount of time spent traveling such an enormous distance. Alongside their wineskins and clothes, this ruined bread serves as the final piece of physical evidence carefully designed to convince the Israelites that their story is entirely true [מלבי״ם].