Joshua 9:16-27 - Gibeon's Deception Discovered
16 It happened at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors, and that they lived among them. 17 The children of Israel traveled and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim. 18 The children 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 murmured against the leaders.
19 But all the leaders said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel; and now therefore we may not touch them. 20 This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them." 21 And the leaders said to them, "Let them live." So they became wood cutters and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had spoken to them.
22 Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you live among us? 23 Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you will never fail to be bondservants, both wood cutters and drawers of water for the house of my God."
24 They answered Joshua, and said, "Because your servants were certainly told how the LORD your God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you. Therefore we were very afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 25 Now, behold, we are in your hand. Do to us as it seems good and right to you to do." 26 He did so to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them. 27 That day Joshua made them wood cutters and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to this day, in the place which he should choose.