15. Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16. Three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were neighbors to them and lived among them.
17. So the children of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18. Now the children of Israel did not attack them, for the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19. Yet all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We swore to them by the Lord God of Israel, so now we may not harm them.
20. This is what we will do to them. We will let them live so that wrath will not come upon us due to the oath that we swore to them.”
21. The leaders of the congregation also said to them, “Let them live!” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders told them.
22. Joshua met them and said, “Why did you trick us, saying, ‘We are very distant from you,’ but you are living in our midst?
23. Therefore now you are cursed, and you will always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the house of my God.”
24. They answered Joshua, “It was told to your slaves that the Lord your God commanded Moses His servant to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. So we were very afraid for our lives, and we did this thing.
25. Now here we are, in your hands. Do to us whatever is good and right in your eyes.”
26. Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hand of the children of Israel; and they did not kill them.
27. That day he made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and the altar of the Lord, even to this day, at the place He would choose.