Joshua 9:11-21

11So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey, and go to meet them and say to them, “1We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us.”’ 12This our bread was warm when we took it for our provisions out of our houses on the day that we left to come to you; but now behold, it is dry and has become crumbled. 13These wineskins which we filled were new, and behold, they are torn; and these our clothes and our sandals are worn out because of the very long journey.” 14So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and 2did not ask for the 3counsel of the Lord. 154Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living 5within their land. 17Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were 6Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim. 18The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders. 19But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.” 21The leaders said to them, “Let them live.” So they became 7hewers of wood and drawers of water for the whole congregation, just as the leaders had spoken to them.