14. The men of Israel tasted the bread. But they did not ask the Lord what to do.
15. So Joshua agreed to make peace with the Gibeonites. He agreed to let them live. The leaders of the Israelites made a promise to keep the agreement.
16. Three days later the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby.
17. So the Israelites went to where they lived. On the third day the Israelites came to their cities. The cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.
18. But the Israelites did not attack those cities. They had made a promise to them before the Lord, the God of Israel.All the Israelites grumbled against the leaders who had made the agreement.
19. But the leaders answered, “We have given our promise before the Lord, the God of Israel. We cannot attack them now.
20. This is what we must do. We must let them live. We cannot hurt them, or God’s anger will be against us. We would be breaking the promise we made to them.
21. So let them live. But they will cut wood and carry water for our people.” So the leaders kept their promise of peace to them.