Joshua 9:12-27

¹²Look at this bread. It was warm when we took it from our houses on the day we set out to come here. But now it's dry and moldy, as you can see.

¹³These wineskins were new when we filled them, but look at them now—they're split and damaged. These clothes of ours and our sandals are all worn out because the journey took so long.”

¹⁴The Israelites tried some of the food. However, they did not consult the Lord.

¹⁵Then Joshua made a treaty with them, promising to spare their lives, and the leaders of the assembly swore an oath to guarantee it.

¹⁶Three days after they had made the treaty, the Israelites learned that the Gibeonites lived nearby, right among them!

¹⁷The Israelites left to go to the Gibeonite towns, and arrived there on the third day. The towns were Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim.

¹⁸But the Israelites did not attack them because of the treaty sworn by the leaders of the assembly in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. At this all the Israelites protested against the leaders.

¹⁹But the leaders replied to the people, “We swore to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, so we cannot lay a hand on them now.

²⁰So this is what we're going to do to them. We'll let them live, so that we won't be punished for breaking the oath that we swore to them.”

²¹The leaders concluded, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly, as the Israelite leaders had ordered.

²²Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, “Why did you trick us? You told us, ‘We live a long way from you,’ but you live right next door to us!

²³Consequently you are under a curse. From now on you shall forever be servants, woodcutters and water-carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴They answered Joshua, “We your servants were told very clearly that the Lord your God had ordered Moses to give you all this land, and that all its inhabitants were to be wiped out before you. So we really feared for our lives because of you. That's why we did what we did.

²⁵Now we're in your hands. Do to us what you think is right and just.”

²⁶Joshua did as he had said. He saved them from the Israelites, so that they did not kill them.

²⁷That day Joshua made them woodcutters and water-carriers in service to the entire assembly and for the altar of the Lord wherever the Lord should choose. That is what they do right up to this very day.