9:18b-21
The whole community was not happy with their leaders, for their leaders had made a bad decision, and they had seen in the defeat by Ai the possible consequences of this. The leaders stress that they had made an oath by the name of the Lord, so were bound by that. The consequences of breaking that oath would be far worse. However, they would make the Gibeonites labourers for Israel, serving as “woodcutters and water carriers”. Note that it refers to the whole of the Israelite leadership, not just Joshua. This seems to be a difference from the days of Moses.
9:22,23
Joshua does not come into the picture on his own, and he summons the Gibeonites. He challenges them as to why they lied to him. He announces to them that they will now be under a curse (i.e. judgement for their sin). So he tells them how they must now serve Israel.
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