²¹ They continued, “Let them live,^(A) but let them be woodcutters and water carriers^(B) in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

¹¹ together with your children and your wives, and the foreigners living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water.^(A)

²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites^(A) woodcutters and water carriers^(B) for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose.^(C) And that is what they are to this day.

²³ You are now under a curse:^(A) You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

¹⁷ Solomon took a census of all the foreigners^(A) residing in Israel, after the census^(B) his father David had taken; and they were found to be 153,600. ¹⁸ He assigned^(C) 70,000 of them to be carriers and 80,000 to be stonecutters in the hills, with 3,600 foremen over them to keep the people working.

¹⁵ Then Joshua made a treaty of peace^(A) with them to let them live,^(B) and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.