Joshua 9:20

Verse

This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”

American Standard Version (1901)

This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.

Bible in Basic English

This is what we will do to them: we will not put them to death, for fear that wrath may come on us because of our oath to them.

Free Bible Version

So this is what we're going to do to them. We'll let them live, so that we won't be punished for breaking the oath that we swore to them.”

Geneva Bible 1599

But this we wil doe to them, and let them liue, least the wrath be vpon vs because of the othe which we sware vnto them.

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

Translation for Translators

This is what we will do: We will not kill them. If we kill them, God will be very angry with us and punish us because of not doing what we promised to do.

Unlocked Literal Bible

This is what we will do to them: To avoid any wrath that may come on us because of the oath we swore to them, we will let them live.”

Noah Webster Bible

This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we swore to them.

World English Bible

We will do this to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them.”

Young's Literal Translation

this we do to them, and have kept them alive, and wrath is not upon us, because of the oath which we have sworn to them.'

Context

The Deceit of the Gibeonites

¹⁹All the leaders answered, “We have sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.²⁰This is how we will treat them: We will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”²¹They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise.

Summary

In Joshua 9:20, the Israelite leaders discovered that the Gibeonites had deceived them by pretending to be from a distant land. Despite their mistake in making a treaty with them, the leaders honored their oath to spare the lives of the Gibeonites. This verse highlights the importance of keeping one's word and the seriousness of making commitments, even when they are based on deception. It serves as a reminder to seek God's guidance and wisdom in all agreements and decisions to avoid being misled.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

This we will do to them,.... Either this favour we will show them, preserving their lives, next mentioned, or this punishment we will inflict on them, making them hewers of wood, and drawers of water; which though not mentioned directly, was what was upon their minds, and in their design to propose, only they were extremely desirous of sparing their lives, which they repeat: we will even let them live; this by all means must be done, their lives must not be taken away as the rest of the Canaanites: lest wrath come upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them; that is, lest the wrath of God come upon us princes, and upon the whole community, for perjury, a breach of the third command, Exo 20:7, a sin highly displeasing to God; since an oath is made not only in his presence, and before him as a witness, who is appealed unto, but in his name, and is often severely threatened, and sorely punished; and as even the breach of this oath was several hundreds of years after, in the times of David, Sa2 21:1. The Vulgate Latin version therefore reads the words, "lest the wrath of the Lord come upon us": but Abarbinel observes, that it may be understood of the wrath of Israel; for the words may be rendered, "and there shall not be wrath upon us, because of the oath": there need be none, there is no occasion for it, since this was agreed upon on all hands, that the Gibeonites should be let to live; and since it was an act of kindness and goodness, and especially they would have no reason to be angry and wrathful with them, when they heard them out, what they had further to propose to them, to make them their servants, though they spared their lives.