16. Three days after making the treaty, they learned that these people actually lived nearby!
17. The Israelites set out at once to investigate and reached their towns in three days. The names of these towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
18. But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the lord, the God of Israel.The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty.
19. But the leaders replied, “Since we have sworn an oath in the presence of the lord, the God of Israel, we cannot touch them.
20. This is what we must do. We must let them live, for divine anger would come upon us if we broke our oath.
21. Let them live.” So they made them woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community, as the Israelite leaders directed.
22. Joshua called together the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you say that you live in a distant land when you live right here among us?
23. May you be cursed! From now on you will always be servants who cut wood and carry water for the house of my God.”
24. They replied, “We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the lord your God commanded his servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it. So we feared greatly for our lives because of you. That is why we have done this.
25. Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right.”
26. So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them.
27. But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the lord—wherever the lord would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day.