ISV(i)
14 So the leaders of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not ask the LORD about it.
15 They made a treaty with them, guaranteeing their lives with a covenant, and the leaders of the congregation confirmed it with an oath to them.
16 But three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and were living in their midst. 17 So the Israelis set out for their cities and three days later they reached their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 The Israelis did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had made an oath with them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the entire congregation grumbled against their leaders.
19 Then all of the leaders spoke to the entire congregation, “We have sworn to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them. 20 So this is what we’ll do to them: we’ll let them live, so that wrath won’t come upon us because of the oath that we swore to them.”
21 The leaders told them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the entire congregation, which is what the leaders had decided concerning them.
22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, “Why did you deceive us by saying ‘We live far away from you,’ even though you were, in fact, living in our midst? 23 Now therefore you are under a curse. Some of you will always be slaves, wood cutters, and water carriers for the house of my God.”
16 But three days after they had made the treaty with them, they learned that they were their neighbors and were living in their midst. 17 So the Israelis set out for their cities and three days later they reached their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18 The Israelis did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had made an oath with them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the entire congregation grumbled against their leaders.
19 Then all of the leaders spoke to the entire congregation, “We have sworn to them in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them. 20 So this is what we’ll do to them: we’ll let them live, so that wrath won’t come upon us because of the oath that we swore to them.”
21 The leaders told them, “Let them live.” So they became wood cutters and water carriers for the entire congregation, which is what the leaders had decided concerning them.
22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and asked them, “Why did you deceive us by saying ‘We live far away from you,’ even though you were, in fact, living in our midst? 23 Now therefore you are under a curse. Some of you will always be slaves, wood cutters, and water carriers for the house of my God.”