Joshua 9:23 — Meaning and Application

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.

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?

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}

And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

And now, behold, we {are} in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.