15. Joshua made peace with them, covenanting with them to let them live, and the assembly's leaders swore to them.
16. Then three days after they had made a covenant with [the strangers, the Israelites] heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them.
17. And the Israelites set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18. But the Israelites did not slay them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, [to spare them]. And all the assembly murmured against the leaders.
19. But all the leaders said to all the assembly, We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so now we may not touch them.
20. This we will do to them: we will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.
21. And the leaders said to them, Let them live [and be our slaves]. So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the assembly, just as the leaders had said of them.
22. Joshua called the men and said, Why did you deceive us, saying, We live very far from you, when you dwell among us?
23. Now therefore you are cursed, and of you there shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
24. They answered Joshua, Because it was surely told your servants that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the land's inhabitants from before you. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
25. And now, behold, we are in your hand; do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.
26. So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.
27. But Joshua then made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, to this day, in the place which He should choose.