Joshua 9:14-23

¹⁴And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not counsel of the Lord.

¹⁵And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

¹⁶And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

¹⁷And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities were Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.

¹⁸And the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

¹⁹And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

²⁰This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

²¹They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

²²And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have ye deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas ye are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?

²³And now ye are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.