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Joshua 9:18
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16 And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them.
17 Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were aGibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim.  
18 But the children of Israel did not1 attack them, abecause the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.  
19 Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them.
20 This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest awrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.”  
21 And the rulers said to them, “Let them live, but let them be awoodcutters and water carriers for all the congregation, as the rulers had bpromised them.”  
22 Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, “Why have you deceived us, saying, a‘We are very far from you,’ when byou dwell near us?  
23 Now therefore, you are acursed, and none of you shall be freed from being slaves—woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”  
24 So they answered Joshua and said, “Because your servants were clearly told that the Lord your God acommanded His servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore bwe were very much afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.  
25 And now, here we are, ain your hands; do with us as it seems good and right to do to us.”  
26 So he did to them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, so that they did not kill them.
27 And that day Joshua made them awoodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord, bin the place which He would choose, even to this day. 
Book Notes:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Book Notes

Joshua

JOSHUA. The title of this book is derived from the pious and valiant leader whose achievements it relates and who is commonly supposed to have been its author. The objections to this idea are founded chiefly on the clause, "unto this day," which occurs several times (Joshua 4:9; Joshua 6:25; Joshua 8:28). But this, at least in the case of Rahab, is no valid reason for rejecting the idea of his authorship; for assuming what is most probable, that this book was composed toward the close of Joshua's long career, or compiled from written documents left by him, Rahab might have been still alive. A more simple and satisfactory way of accounting for the frequent insertion of the clause, "unto this day," is the opinion that it was a comment introduced by Ezra, when revising the sacred canon; and this difficulty being removed, the direct proofs of the book having been produced by a witness of the transactions related in it, the strong and vivid descriptions of the passing scenes, and the use of the words "we" and "us," (Joshua 5:1-6), viewed in connection with the fact, that, after his farewell address to the people, Joshua "wrote these words in the book of the law of God" [Joshua 24:26] —all afford strong presumptive proof that the entire book was the work of that eminent individual. Its inspiration and canonical authority are fully established by the repeated testimonies of other Scripture writers (compare Joshua 6:26 with I Kings 16:34; compare Joshua 10:13 with Habakkuk 3:11; Joshua 3:14 with Acts 7:45; Joshua 6:17-23 with Hebrews 11:30; Joshua 2:1-24 with James 2:25; Psalms 44:2; Psalms 68:12-14; Psalms 78:54-55). As a narrative of God's faithfulness in giving the Israelites possession of the promised land, this history is most valuable, and bears the same character as a sequel to the Pentateuch, that the Acts of the Apostles do to the Gospels.

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