Joshua 9:21 · KJV
“And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.”
— Joshua 9:21
This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We {are} very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Joshua 9 — Context
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
20This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
21And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
22And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We {are} very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
23Now therefore ye {are} cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. {none...: Heb. not be cut off from you}
Cross References
Deuteronomy 29:11
Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that {is} in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water:
Joshua 9:27
And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose. {made: Heb. gave, or, delivered to be}
Joshua 9:23
Now therefore ye {are} cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. {none...: Heb. not be cut off from you}
2 Chronicles 2:17-18
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that {were} in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred. {the strangers: Heb. the men the strangers}
Joshua 9:15
And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.