Joshua 9:11-21

11So our elders and all the inhabitants of our land told us, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey; go and meet them and say, “We are your servants. Please make a treaty with us.”’

12This bread of ours was warm when we took it from our houses as food on the day we left to come to you; but see, it is now dry and crumbly.

13These wineskins were new when we filled them; but see, they are cracked. And these clothes and sandals of ours are worn out from the extremely long journey.”

14Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the Lord’s decision.

15So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.

16Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them.

17So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders.

19All the leaders answered them, “We have sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

20This is how we will treat them: we will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

21They also said, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them.