14. So the leaders took from their provisions, but they did not ask direction from Yahweh.
15. And Joshua made peace with them, and he made a covenant with them to allow them to live happily, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
16. And it happened that at the end of three days, after they made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and living among them.
17. And the Israelites set out and went to their cities on the third day (their cities were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim).
18. But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against their leaders.
19. But all the leaders of the congregation said, “We have sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel, and so we cannot touch them.
20. This we will do to them: we will let them live so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them.”
21. And the leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said to them.
22. And Joshua summoned them and said, “Why have you deceived us saying, ‘We are very far from you’ when you are living among us?
23. Therefore you are cursed; some of you will always be slaves as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
24. And they answered Joshua and said, “Because it was told with certainty to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded Moses his servant to give to you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, so we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and so we did this thing.
25. So then, look, we are in your hand; do with us whatever seems good and right in your eyes.”
26. So he did this to them: he saved them from the hand of the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
27. And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he should choose.