Joshua 9:15

15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.

Joshua 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:15

And Joshua made peace with them
Upon the report the princes made of having examined what they had said, and which they found to be true, particularly concerning their victuals:

and made a league with them, to let them live;
and not destroy them as he did the Canaanites, and was ordered to do; they being supposed not to belong to them by the representation of things they had made:

and the princes of the congregation sware unto them;
that they would keep the league and covenant they had made with them inviolable; they ratified it by an oath, which was a sacred solemn thing.

Joshua 9:15 In-Context

13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey."

14 Then the men [of Israel] took some of their provisions, but did not seek the Lord's counsel.

15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.

16 Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them.

17 So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.