Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, Why have you deceived us, saying, We are very far from you; when you dwell among us?
Joshua's curse upon the Gibeonites was the same as the curse upon the king of Ai. "Thus the judgment upon Ai and its king was pronounced, but not executed, upon the Gibeonites."[31]  Why should Gibeon have been cursed at all?  As Boling said, "They were cursed for bearing false witness.  They were delivered from death by Israel's oath; but the Gibeonites were punished for deceiving Israel."[32]  We find a somewhat similar thing in the story of Cain.  He was punished, but also protected.