Joshua 9:22-24

Contemporary English Version

²² Joshua told some of his soldiers, “I want to meet with the Gibeonite leaders. Bring them here.”

When the Gibeonites came, Joshua said, “You live close to us. Why did you lie by claiming you lived far away? ²³ So now you are under a curse, and from now on your people will have to send workers to cut wood and carry water for the place of worship.”^[a]

²⁴ The Gibeonites answered, “The Lord your God told his servant Moses that you were to kill everyone who lives here and take their land for yourselves. We were afraid you would kill us, and so we tricked you into making a peace treaty. But we agreed to be your servants,