14 Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the Lord’s decision.b 15 So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.c

GIBEON’S DECEPTION DISCOVERED

16 Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them. 17 So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.d 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oathe to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders.

19 All the leaders answered them, “We have sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them. 20 This is how we will treat them: we will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”