14
So the leaders partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the Lord.
15
And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16
But when three days had passed after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and were living among them.
17
So the Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19
But all the leaders said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we must not touch them.
20
This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath may not come upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them."
21
The leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had decided concerning them.
22
Joshua summoned them, and said to them, "Why did you deceive us, saying, "We are very far from you,' while in fact you are living among us?
23
Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."
24
They answered Joshua, "Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; so we were in great fear for our lives because of you, and did this thing.