Joshua 9:18-27

18The Israelites did not attack them, because of the promise that their leaders had made. They had made a strong promise in the name of the Lord God of Israel that they would not kill the Gibeonites. The Israelite people were angry with their leaders, because of the agreement.

19But all the leaders said to them, ‘We have made a strong promise to the Lord, Israel's God. So now we cannot hurt the Gibeonites.

20But this is what we will do. We will let them live, because we made a strong promise to do that. Then God will not punish us.

21We will let them live, but they will become our servants. They will cut wood and they will fetch water for all the Israelite people.’ That is what the Israelite leaders decided to do.

22Joshua called the Gibeonites to come to him. He asked them, ‘Why did you deceive us like that? You said that you lived far away from us. But you really live near to us.

23Because you told lies to us, you will always have to be our servants. You will cut wood and you will fetch water to serve our God.’

24The Gibeonites said to Joshua, ‘We heard about the command that the Lord your God had given to his servant, Moses. We know that he told Moses to take the whole of our land for you to live in. We know that you must kill all the people who live there now. Because of that, we were very afraid that you would kill us. That is why we did what we did.

25Now we are under your power. You must decide what to do with us. Do whatever you think is right and good.’

26So Joshua agreed. He did not let the Israelites kill the Gibeonites.

27Instead, they made the Gibeonites cut wood and fetch water, as servants for the Israelite people. They would also do this for the priests who served the Lord at his altar. They are still doing this, at the place that the Lord has chosen for his altar.