14
The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence. But they didn't ask God about it.
15
So Joshua made peace with them and formalized it with a covenant to guarantee their lives. The leaders of the congregation swore to it.
16
And then, three days after making this covenant, they learned that they were next-door neighbors who had been living there all along!
17
The People of Israel broke camp and set out; three days later they reached their towns - Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18
But the People of Israel didn't attack them; the leaders of the congregation had given their word before the God of Israel. But the congregation was up in arms over their leaders.
19
The leaders were united in their response to the congregation: "We promised them in the presence of the God of Israel. We can't lay a hand on them now.
20
But we can do this: We will let them live so we don't get blamed for breaking our promise."
21
Then the leaders continued, "We'll let them live, but they will be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire congregation." And that's what happened; the leaders' promise was kept.
22
But Joshua called the Gibeonites together and said, "Why did you lie to us, telling us, 'We live far, far away from you,' when you're our next-door neighbors?
23
For that you are cursed. From now on it's menial labor for you - woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."
24
They answered Joshua, "We got the message loud and clear that God, your God, commanded through his servant Moses: to give you the whole country and destroy everyone living in it. We were terrified because of you; that's why we did this.