NET Bible
"We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”"
— Joshua 9:20, NET Bible
“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.”
“This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. ”
“This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be on us, because of the oath which we swore to them."”
“But this we will do to them: Let their lives be saved, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, if we should be forsworn:”
“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.”
“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.”
So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities– Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
The Israelites did not attack them because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. The whole community criticized the leaders,
but all the leaders told the whole community,“We swore an oath to them in the name of the LORD God of Israel. So now we can’t hurt them!
We must let them live so we can escape the curse attached to the oath we swore to them.”
The leaders then added,“Let them live.” So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had decided.
Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them,“Why did you trick us by saying,‘We live far away from you,’ when you really live nearby?
Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”