14 So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and adid not ask for the 1counsel of the Lord.

15 aJoshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

16 It came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living 1within their land.

17 Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were aGibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

18 The sons 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 grumbled against the leaders.

19 But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

20 “This we will do to them, even let them live, so that wrath will not be upon us for the oath which we swore to them.”