13. These were new wineskins when we filled them. Look at them now! See how they are splitting! Our clothes and sandals are also worn-out because we have come such a long way.”
14. The men believed the evidence they were shown, but they did not ask the Lord about it.
15. So Joshua made peace with them by making a treaty which allowed them to live. The leaders of the congregation swore to it with an oath.
16. But three days after the treaty was made, the Israelites heard that these people were their neighbors and lived with them.
17. The Israelites broke camp. They came to the cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim two days later.
18. The Israelites didn’t destroy these other people, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath about them to the Lord God of Israel. The whole congregation complained about the leaders.
19. But all the leaders said to them, “We have sworn an oath about them to the Lord God of Israel, so we cannot touch them now.