Joshua 9:19

19 But all the leaders said to them, "We have sworn an oath about them to the LORD God of Israel, so we cannot touch them now.

Joshua 9:19 Meaning and Commentary

Joshua 9:19

But all the princes said to all the congregation
That is, all the princes that went to Gibeon addressed all the Israelites that were there:

we have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel;
by the Word of the Lord God, as the Targum; an oath is a solemn sacred thing, and not to be broken, and a good man will make conscience of it, and keep it, though he has sworn to his own hurt: and

now therefore we may not touch them;
neither take away their lives nor their substance.

Joshua 9:19 In-Context

17 The Israelites broke camp. They came to the cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim two days later.

18 The Israelites didn't destroy these other people, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath about them to the LORD God of Israel. The whole congregation complained about the leaders.

19 But all the leaders said to them, "We have sworn an oath about them to the LORD God of Israel, so we cannot touch them now.

20 We must let them live to avoid [the LORD's] anger because of the oath we swore."

21 The leaders said that they should be allowed to live. So they became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation, as the leaders had said.