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Saturday, July 26th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Christian Standard Bible ®

Joshua 9:18

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Alliances;   Contracts;   Covenant;   Government;   Joshua;   Kirjath-Jearim;   Magnanimity;   Oath;   Servant;   Treaty;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Covenants;   Gibeonites;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gibeon;   Joshua the son of nun;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - All-Sufficiency of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Alliance;   Gibeon;   Slave;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Alliances;   Congregation;   Pentateuch;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Joshua, the Book of;   Oaths;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Gibeon;   Israel;   Joshua;   Stranger;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Alliance;   Prince, Princess;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elder;   Gibeon;   Journeyings of israel from egypt to canaan;   Nethinim;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Alliances;   Congregation;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Conquest of Canaan;   Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Grudge;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Alliances;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Gibeon and Gibeonites;   Hivites;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The children of Yisra'el didn't strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Yisra'el. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
King James Version
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Lexham English Bible
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against their leaders.
English Standard Version
But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord , the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
New Century Version
But the Israelites did not attack those cities, because they had made a promise to them before the Lord , the God of Israel. All the Israelites grumbled against the leaders.
New English Translation
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,
Amplified Bible
But the sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel [to spare them]. And all the congregation murmured [expressing great dissatisfaction] against the leaders.
New American Standard Bible
But the sons of Israel did not attack them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the children of Israel slewe them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lorde God of Israel: wherefore all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.
Legacy Standard Bible
But the sons of Israel did not strike them down because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
Contemporary English Version
But they did not attack the towns, because the Israelite leaders had sworn in the name of the Lord that they would let these people live. The Israelites complained about their leaders' decision not to attack,
Complete Jewish Bible
The people of Isra'el did not attack them, because the leading officials of the community had sworn to them by Adonai , the God of Isra'el; but all the community grumbled against the leaders.
Darby Translation
And the children of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Jehovah the God of Israel. Then all the assembly murmured against the princes.
Easy-to-Read Version
But the army of Israel did not try to fight against those cities. They had made a peace agreement with them. They had made a promise to them before the Lord , the God of Israel. All the people complained against the leaders who made the agreement.
George Lamsa Translation
And the children of Israel did not kill them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And the whole congregation murmured and were in an uproar against the princes.
Good News Translation
But the Israelites could not kill them, because their leaders had made a solemn promise to them in the name of the Lord , Israel's God. All the people complained to the leaders about this,
Literal Translation
And the sons of Israel did not strike them, for the leaders of the congregation swore to them by Jehovah the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and smote the not, because that the rulers of the congregacisn had sworne vnto them by the name of the LORDE the God of Israel. But whan all the congregacion murmured agaynst the rulers,
American Standard Version
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by Jehovah, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Bible in Basic English
And the children of Israel did not put them to death, because the chiefs of the people had taken an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. And all the people made an outcry against the chiefs.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the children of Israel slue them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: and all the multitude mourned agaynst the princes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
King James Version (1611)
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the Princes of the Congregation had sworne vnto them by the Lord God of Israel: And all the Congregation murmured against the Princes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.
English Revised Version
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Berean Standard Bible
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei smytiden not hem, for the princis of the multitude hadden swore to hem in the name of the Lord God of Israel. Therfor al the comyn puple grutchide ayens the princis of Israel;
Young's Literal Translation
and the sons of Israel have not smitten them, for sworn to them have the princes of the company by Jehovah God of Israel, and all the company murmur against the princes.
Update Bible Version
And the sons of Israel did not smite them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.
World English Bible
The children of Israel didn't strike them, because the princes of the congregation had sworn to them by Yahweh, the God of Israel. All the congregation murmured against the princes.
New King James Version
But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.
New Living Translation
But the Israelites did not attack the towns, for the Israelite leaders had made a vow to them in the name of the Lord , the God of Israel. The people of Israel grumbled against their leaders because of the treaty.
New Life Bible
But the people of Israel did not kill them because the leaders of the people had made a promise to them by the Lord the God of Israel. All the people complained against the leaders.
New Revised Standard
But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord , the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the sons of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the assembly had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel, - but all the assembly murmured against the princes.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they slew them not, because the princes of the multitude had sworn in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the common people murmured against the princes.
Revised Standard Version
But the people of Israel did not kill them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The sons of Israel did not strike them because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD the God of Israel. And the whole congregation grumbled against the leaders.

Contextual Overview

15So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them. 16Three days after making the treaty with them, they heard that the Gibeonites were their neighbors, living among them. 17So the Israelites set out and reached the Gibeonite cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the community had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then the whole community grumbled against the leaders.19All the leaders answered them, “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 also said, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

had sworn: 2 Samuel 21:7, Psalms 15:4, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Ecclesiastes 5:6, Ecclesiastes 9:2

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:39 - Peradventure Deuteronomy 7:2 - make no Joshua 2:12 - swear Joshua 6:22 - as ye sware unto her

Cross-References

Genesis 9:23
Then Shem and Japheth took a cloak and placed it over both their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father naked.
Genesis 9:25
he said:
Genesis 9:27
Let God extend Japheth;let Japheth dwell in the tents of Shem;let Canaan be Shem’s slave.
Genesis 10:1
These are the family records of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the flood.
Genesis 10:6
Ham’s sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
1 Chronicles 1:4
Noah, Noah’s sons:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the children of Israel smote them not,.... The inhabitants of the four cities, when they came to them, though they found it to be a true report that was brought them of their being neighbours, and that they were imposed upon by them:

because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel; by the Word of the Lord God of Israel, as the Targum, and therefore they restrained the people from smiting and plundering them; for it was not the oath of the princes the people so much regarded, or had such an influence on them as to abstain from seizing on them, but the princes, by reason of their oath, would not suffer them to touch them:

and all the congregation murmured against the princes; not only for taking such an oath, but chiefly because they restrained them from smiting the Gibeonites, and taking their substance for a prey; their eager desire of revenge, and of seizing their goods, and inhabiting their cities, raised a murmur in them against the princes. This is to be understood not of the whole body of the people at Gilgal, but of all that party that was sent to Gibeon, and of the princes that went with them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Joshua 9:18. All the congregation murmured — Merely because they were deprived of the spoils of the Gibeonites. They had now got under the full influence of a predatory spirit; God saw their proneness to this, and therefore, at particular times, totally interdicted the spoils of conquered cities, as in the case of Jericho.


 
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