Joshua 9:16-27 - Gibeon's Deception Discovered
16 And it happened that at the end of three days, after they made a covenant with them, they heard that {they were their neighbors} and living among them. 17 And the {Israelites} set out and went to their cities on the third day (their cities [were] Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim). 18 But the {Israelites} did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured {against their leaders}.
19 But all the leaders of the congregation said, "We have sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel, and so we cannot touch them. 20 This we will do to them: [we will] let them live so that wrath will not be on us because of the oath we swore to them." 21 And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became woodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, just as the leaders had said to them.
22 And Joshua summoned them and said, "Why have you deceived us saying, 'We [are] very far from you' when you [are] living among us? 23 Therefore you [are] cursed; some of you will always be slaves as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God."
24 And they answered Joshua and said, "Because it was told with certainty to your servants that Yahweh your God commanded Moses his servant to give to you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you, so we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and so we did this thing. 25 So then, look, we [are] in your hand; do with us whatever seems good and right in your eyes." 26 So he did this to them: he saved them from the hand of the {Israelites}, and they did not kill them. 27 And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of Yahweh, to this day, in the place that he should choose.