Joshua 9 18

Joshua 9:18 kjv

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.

Joshua 9:18 nkjv

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.

Joshua 9:18 niv

But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders,

Joshua 9:18 esv

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.

Joshua 9:18 nlt

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.

Joshua 9 verses

Joshua 9 18 Meaning

Joshua 9:18 signifies that the Israelites did not attack the Gibeonites, despite the deception employed by the Gibeonites to secure a covenant. This forbearance was directly attributed to the oath made by the Israelite leaders to the Gibeonites, an oath that was sworn by the LORD, the God of Israel. The verse highlights the paramount importance and inviolability of an oath made in the name of God, even when the oath was entered into under false pretenses and had significant implications for God's prior commands concerning the destruction of the Canaanite nations.

Joshua 9 18 Context

Joshua 9:18 takes place immediately after the Gibeonite deception has been discovered by the Israelite congregation. Chapter 9 opens with the kings of Canaan forming a formidable alliance to fight against Israel after hearing of the defeats of Jericho and Ai. The Gibeonites, however, seeing Israel's power, resorted to a clever ruse rather than open warfare. They feigned a long journey, presenting themselves with old clothes, worn-out provisions, and dusty wine-skins, claiming to be from a distant land seeking a treaty. The Israelite leaders, despite having God's clear command not to make covenants with the inhabitants of Canaan (Deut 7:2, Exod 23:32), fell for the trick. Critically, the text states they "did not ask counsel from the LORD" (Josh 9:14) before entering into the treaty.

Three days after the treaty was ratified by an oath, Israel discovered that the Gibeonites were their close neighbors. The immediate context of verse 18 reveals the congregation's strong dissatisfaction and desire to attack the Gibeonites because of the deception. However, the leaders prevent this, due to the oath they had sworn. The leaders face a profound dilemma: on one hand, God commanded the total destruction of the Canaanites; on the other, they had sworn an oath by the name of the LORD. In ancient Near Eastern culture, an oath was considered binding, particularly if sworn by a deity. Breaking such an oath, especially one invoking Yahweh's name, was a grave offense, believed to incur divine wrath. The Israelite leaders chose to uphold the sanctity of the oath made in the LORD's name, despite the Gibeonites' deceit and their own error in not consulting God. This choice prevented bloodshed and demonstrated their fear of profaning God's name, a principle considered more immediate in this instance than their unfulfilled command to utterly destroy all Canaanites, which they had themselves bypassed.

Joshua 9 18 Word analysis

• And (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ - wa-ya'a-śū): The Hebrew waw consecutive here marks the continuation of the narrative, specifically contrasting with the previous action (discovery of the deception) and directly linking to the consequence. It translates as "And they did not..."
• did (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ - wa-ya'a-śū): Part of the verbal form wayya'aśū which means "they did" or "they made." Here, it sets the stage for the crucial action, or rather, inaction.
• not (לֹא - lō'): This absolute negation is pivotal, indicating a restraint of action. The decision to not attack is the central point of the verse, despite the provocation.
• attack (וַיַּכּוּם - wa-yak-kūm): Derived from the Hebrew root nakah (נָכָה), meaning "to strike," "to hit," "to smite," or "to kill." In a military context, it signifies engaging in combat with the intent to destroy. The verb implies the military action that was expected, yet refrained from.
• them (וַיַּכּוּם - wa-yak-kūm): The pronominal suffix attached to the verb wayyakkūm ("they struck them") refers unequivocally to the Gibeonites.
• because (כִּי - kī): This conjunction introduces the causal clause, explaining the precise reason for the Israelites' abstention from attack. It is the core of the justification for their decision.
• the leaders (נְשִׂיאֵי - nə-śî-ʾê): From the Hebrew nasi' (נָשִׂיא), meaning "prince," "leader," or "chief." This highlights that the covenant was made by those in authority and power within the congregation, binding the entire community. Their role in making the oath underscored its significance for the whole people.
• of the congregation (הָעֵדָה - hā-‘ê-ḏāh): Refers to the ‘ēḏāh (עֵדָה), meaning "assembly," "community," or "congregation" of Israel. It emphasizes that the oath was made on behalf of all the people, not just by a few individuals, thus implying collective responsibility and obligation.
• had sworn (נִשְׁבְּעוּ - niš-bə‘û): From the Hebrew root shava‘ (שָׁבַע), meaning "to swear an oath." The nif'al stem used here emphasizes that an oath was taken. The act of swearing was solemn and irreversible in ancient Israelite culture, especially when invoking God's name.
• to them (לָהֶם - lā-hem): Refers to the Gibeonites, the beneficiaries of the sworn oath.
• by the LORD (בַּֽיהוָה - ba-YHWH): The most crucial part of the phrase. This signifies that the oath was not merely a human agreement but invoked the holy name of Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. To swear "by the LORD" transformed a human promise into a divinely witnessed and binding commitment, making its violation a profanation of God's name. The fear of God's judgment for profaning His name (Lev 19:12) weighed heavily.
• the God (אֱלֹהֵי - ‘ĕ-lō-hê): Elohei, the construct form of Elohim (אֱלֹהִים), meaning "God of." It clarifies the identity of the deity invoked, explicitly referring to the unique and sovereign God of Israel.
• of Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל - yiś-rā-’ēl): Specifies that it is the God who is in covenant relationship with Israel, the one who guides and protects them, and the one whose commands they are bound by. This underscores the internal conflict and the gravity of the leaders' decision.

Words-group analysis

• And did not attack them: This phrase highlights the critical outcome of the leaders' decision. Despite the people's grumbling and desire for retribution (verse 18b), the military action was withheld. This reveals a prioritization of the sworn oath over the initial reaction to the deception.
• because the leaders of the congregation: This identifies the specific parties responsible for the decision not to attack. It emphasizes that the responsibility lay with the authoritative figures who represented the entire community. Their judgment was key in determining the collective action of Israel.
• had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel: This is the justification for their inaction and the heart of the dilemma. The emphasis here is on the binding nature and the ultimate authority of the oath. Swearing "by the LORD" elevated the covenant above mere human agreement or even human strategic goals, making its breach a religious transgression rather than merely a political misstep. It signifies that the holiness of God's name, once invoked, must be upheld above all else, even if one was deceived into taking the oath.

Joshua 9 18 Bonus section

The Gibeonite incident, exemplified in Joshua 9:18, subtly highlights an ironic theological contrast: The Gibeonites, as outsiders, possessed a greater understanding and fear of Yahweh's power and renown, as expressed in their feigned journey, than the Israelites, who, in their overconfidence or haste, failed to seek the counsel of the very God they served. This event thus serves as a cautionary tale against presumption and neglecting divine consultation, while simultaneously elevating the profound sanctity of an oath sworn by God's name above human cleverness or even initial strategic commands in a specific context. This choice ensured Israel's testimony to the holiness of God's name would remain intact, despite the difficult circumstances it created.

Joshua 9 18 Commentary

Joshua 9:18 captures a pivotal moment demonstrating the sanctity of an oath made in the name of God, even when it involves deception and appears to contradict prior divine commands. Despite God's explicit directive to utterly destroy the inhabitants of Canaan and make no treaties with them (Deut 7:2), the Israelite leaders honored the covenant they mistakenly made with the Gibeonites. Their reason was not a sudden compassion for the Gibeonites or a shift in military strategy, but rather a profound fear of defiling the name of the LORD by breaking an oath sworn "by the LORD, the God of Israel." The decision to spare the Gibeonites, while contentious among the people, underscored a fundamental theological principle for Israel: God's holiness and the absolute integrity of His name demand that promises made in His name be kept, regardless of human error or manipulative tactics by the other party. The consequence of breaching such an oath, as seen much later in Saul's action and the subsequent famine (2 Sam 21:1-6), far outweighed the perceived advantage of eliminating another Canaanite group. This event serves as a powerful reminder of God's intolerance for falsehood and His demand for unwavering faithfulness, even when difficult. It implicitly teaches that human fallibility (not seeking God's counsel, Josh 9:14) does not negate the weight of a divine oath.